The Search II: Mr MomYokai
by CJ - Lady of Gryffindor
Summary: Since I posted this update I only got 19 hits and 0 reviews? Is this really lack of interest or a FF glitch? If no one is intrested I would rather scrap plans for the sequels and remember the Search fondly, then watch my kioshii tank. Please let me know.C
1. Such Sweet Sorrow

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Disclaimer: The InuYasha universe

and all characters excluding the ones listed below

are the creation of the amazingly

brilliant Rumiko Takahashi.

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The following characters are

of my own creation

and are not to be used without

proper permission

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-Chimitsubi Itaisho-

Kichiro Itaisho

Shomaru Itaisho

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Dr. Aim Kitsu-Toyoki

Dr. Myk Toyoki

(No first name previously)

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Kuroki Toyoki-Kitsu

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AzouJinsei Kohaku

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Saiai-Mitsugi Kin

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Once again I would like to thank everyone who helped make The Search my most popular story ever, after almost a year it is still gaining reviews and inching ever closer to 700! All I can say is HOLY SHIT! LOL

I know you've been waiting anxiously for this, its been a long time coming. Well faithful readers, your wait is over. I am thrilled to present

Mr. MomYokai

the first sequel to

The Search

Note: There may be some small inconsistencies between the sequels and The Search, Particularly in characters names, most notably in InuYasha and Kagome's children's names. This was done in order to improve some aspect of the story and to give some definition between Sesshomaru's family and InuYasha's family to avoid confusion as the sequels progress.

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**-Mr MomYokai-**

**-Chapter One-**

**-Such Sweet Sorrow-**

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**_Present Day _**

**_Tokyo_**

**_1:55 a.m._**

After nearly two hundred and twenty-four years as a healer, it wasn't unusual to Dr. Sesshomaru, better known as Sessho Toyoki or his mate to be woken in the middle of the night by an emergency. They were even beginning to get use to the obnoxious pounding and vibrating of his new cell phone mixing with the ear piercing alert of his pager. What they weren't use to was this frequency they had been treated to suddenly over the past two weeks.

It was a damned good thing that Sesshomaru could function better on very little sleep than most could on a full nights perfect rest.

"Sesshomaru" his mate groaned, rolling over and clicking off the pager "Do you think it will be long?"

Sesshomaru was already up, had pulled on a pair of casual pants and was in the process of buttoning his shirt.

"It's hard to say. You know how it is, I won't know until I can assess the severity of the situation."

"Would you like me to come with to assist?"

"I can't ask you to do that."

"You didn't ask, I offered. Besides, as you always say, two pairs of old hands are better than one."

Sesshomaru chuckled lightly and knelt on the bed to give his mate a soft kiss on the lips.

"No, it's okay. You stay and sleep so you can be bright eyed and bushy tailed for the children tomorrow."

"Right. Good idea." She rolled over and cuddled his abandoned pillows against her chest as Sesshomaru pulled the blankets back up over her shoulders.

"Sleep tight Kioshi." he whispered before swiping at the light switch and closing the door all but an inch so she could hear if their youngest children, a 3 year old girl and 2 year old boy, woke in the night.

He padded down the stairs and met their only house help, a young Kitsune yokai female named Eki who helped his wife with the children, cooking and chores.

"Sesshomaru-sama...another emergency tonight? So soon again!"

Sesshomaru smiled "My toils are never finished Eki, I swear, Its so exhausting."

Eki laughed "Mrs. Sesshomaru-sama told me to tell you toils my big left toe when you say that."

Sesshomaru laughed appreciatively at his mates humor "And how is Heji?"

"Oh he is wonderful Sesshomaru-sama, and he asked me to tell you thank you again for signing him on contract for this summer."

"I should be thanking him." Sesshomaru finished tying his shoe and stood to get his coat from the closet. "With Myk and Aim me so swamped at the hospital, and Shippo and Kuroki running kami knows where, all my other kids scattered all over the world who has time for things like keeping up the lawn and gardens?"

He shook his head and with a small smile walked out the door, making sure the burglar alarm reset itself, then got into his car and sped down the quiet city streets, intent on reaching his destination as quick as possible, even with the pit stop he knew he had no choice but to make.

To pass the time Sesshomaru let his mind drift, back, back over the centuries to the day that was both miserable but fantastic. Hellish but fantastic. Both the worst and the best day of his life. The day that he lost and gained everything...

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**_Sengoku Jidai_**

**_Musashi_**

Sesshomaru looked sadly down at the tiny sleeping bundle he held in his arm, knowing it was the last time for five hundred years. His heart was breaking and it hurt badly, even though he'd had ample time to prepare himself, he had known this day was coming for sometime, maybe even before his brother had made the decision. It was what Sesshomaru knew he would have done had the pups been his and had they been doomed to a life of misery on this side of time. But knowing this, and knowing that he was partly to blame for the "halfbreed" prejudices that still ruled over the Sengoku Jidai didn't do a whole lot to help stop the flow of pain to his heart, if anything it was widening the trickle into a gaping chasm.

"Oi"

Sesshomaru looked up to see the source of his greatest pain coming towards him from the hut where his mate rested. His brother, the brother he had only just recently learned he loved, his daughter and other son cradled in his arms.

"Eloquent as always InuYasha."

"Bastard."

But the hanyou was grinning as he carefully sat on the ground by his brother.

"I would suggest you not let the young Miko hear you speaking like that in front of the pups, hell hound that she is, she is liable to do you serious bodily harm for using profanity around the pups."

"I don't think she would hurt me too bad, as long as I was holding one of the pups."

"That's very dirty InuYasha, using your pups to shield you from your mates wrath."

"Hey, I got the idea from future you."

Sesshomaru didn't speak, only the very tips of his ears turned slightly pink.

"Not really...I'm just shitting ya..."InuYasha guffawed loudly, nearly rolling over.

"InuYabaka" Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and let InuYasha have his moment of humor, but eventually he had to get to the truth.

"You came out here to tell me something InuYasha" Sesshomaru looked at InuYasha, his eyes burning a hole straight into InuYasha's heart and soul in the search the truth.

InuYasha sobered at once.

"Uh...Yeah..Yeah I did."

"It has been decided then."

"Yeah"

"When..." Sesshomaru's voice caught for the first time ever in his life.

"When will you be leaving?"

"Tonight"

InuYasha's voice was weak and quavery, like he was fighting desperately to hold his tears in check and coming close to losing the battle. Sesshomaru knew that the battle was being fought for his benefit alone and was grateful, after his voice had caught he was pretty sure that he might now be capable of tears as well.

"Will the others agree to go with you?"

"Kagome is talking to Shippo and Kuroki now, later we will talk to the others."

As if on cue a furry head popped out of the hut and yelled for Sesshomaru and InuYasha to come into the hut.

Sesshomaru knelt down and kissed Kagome's cheek, then sat next to her, still unwilling, maybe even unable to relinquish his hold on his nephew quite yet.

"Sesshomaru, I don't know what I would have done without you in that cave"

Kagome rested her head on his shoulder and he felt a rush of tears soak through the fabric of his hoari. "You really have become my best friend and aside from InuYasha and our pups, your my favorite person in the world."

Sesshomaru knew he should say something, anything, but her words struck him silent.

"Kagome and I decided that the pup your holding will be named Shomaru, to honor his uncle who brought him into the world."

Again Sesshomaru was nearly speechless. Feeling a need to move to safe ground he looked to the small kitsune who lurked in the corner with Rin.

"And what of the devious duo? Will you live with Kagome and InuYasha in her time?"

Shippo stood and wiped at a tear on his face. "I love Kagome and InuYasha Lord Sesshomaru. I wish I could stay with them forever. But I have something that I need to do here, and I can't ask them to wait for me to accomplish it. "

"And Shippo is my best friend," Kuroki shook her head "he saved my life, and cried when he thought I was going to die. Shippo and Rin are the first ones that was ever nice to me and made me want to be nice to them back, and I don't want Shippo to do what he has to do all by himself. Its lonely to be all alone, I know, cause I was alone for a really long time. So I am going to go with him." Shippo smiled at Kuroki

InuYasha knelt down in front of the kitsune "Damn Shippo, I promised you I would take you to Hashagu-Mori to see Lord Kashikoi no Kitsune Hashagu-Mori for information about your brother and sister. I never did...I'm sorry Shippo."

"I promised as well" Sesshomaru remembered, speaking mostly to himself.

"Huh?" Kuroki looked up

"This Sesshomaru also promised the kitsune youth an escort to Hashagu-Mori as well as my influence as TaiYokai, Lord of the Western Lands to convince Lord Kashikoi no Kitsune Hashagu-Mori to help you in your search for your family. Shippo, if you so desire, this Sesshomaru would be pleased to do so immediately, once we have retrieved Jaken and Rin of course."

"You'll take us?"

Sesshomaru nodded "We will leave as soon as you can pack."

"Yes sir!" Shippo and Kuroki did a little dance out of the hut where they heard Kuroki loud and clear.

"Everything will be just fine if we can keep him from breathing on us all the time with that nasty monkey spanking dog breath!"

"What about after Hashagu-Mori?" InuYasha quarried "Then what?"

"There is plenty of the room at the family Castle, after all they are family, and Rin will be happy for the company once we are there full time."

Kagome couldn't suppress a grin "Looks like I'm not the only new mother around here after all"

InuYasha burst out laughing "Yeah...hes a real Mr MomYokai"

"Its not too late for me to kill you" Sesshomaru growled before looking down at his namesake nephew to get as many glances in as he could before the time to leave arrived. Parting was still sweet sorrow, but with his own little pack to enjoy, maybe now it wouldn't quite so painful.

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**_Present Day _**

**_Tokyo_**

**_2:30 a.m._**

Sesshomaru couldn't resist the tiny smirk of triumph when he checked the dashboard clock at the same time as he felt his foot smash down on the brake, brining him to an abrupt and jerky stop. Damn he was good, country to city, even with a stop in between, he had made it front door to front door in just under thirty minutes.

He took the stairs two at a time, the reason for his rousing just reaching his ears by the time he was halfway up the stairs. By the time he had reached the top and ran to the second set of stairs it was quite apparent why he had been rousted from his bed, the bone shattering screams made his blood run cold, even after all these years.

At the top of the stairs he swung the door open to find the situation was even worse than he had anticipated.

"Sess...Sess..." Kagome hiccuped and was nearly hyperventilating through her heavy sobbing "Sess-ho-ma-ma-ru he-he-lp me! My...my...m the pu-pu-pu-pups ha-ha-hate me!!!"

Kagome sat on the floor attempting to feed and diaper three screaming babies at once. The apartment was a shambles and Kagome was deep into her seventh nervous breakdown that week.

"Don't be silly Kagome, they don't hate you."

"Th-th-they do s-s-so" she blubbered in perfect postpartum depression spawned defiance "They hate their own mother!!"

Sesshomaru quickly scooted down in front of Kagome and revealed that he had brought her an entire bag with a variety of chocolate, and then took Shomaru from her and changed him which seemed to please him. He then took Kichiro, leaving Kagome free to care for Chimi, and changed him as well, but Kichiro, being the bottle pig of the three demanded to be fed.

When all three were semi quiet and Kagome was calmed down to soft tears she fed Chimi with one arm and picked through the bag of chocolate with the other. Sesshomaru looked at her with a worried frown.

"Where the hell is the baka this time?"

"Shippo and Kuroki lined him up to be bodyguard for some Australian diamond guy who's in town for a couple hours to sell his crap to some Japanese big wig"

"Why is he working damn it? He doesn't need to work. I didn't spend the last five hundred years building up his net worth so he could be some damn idiot leaving you home alone with the pups all the time."

" It's not about money, its about pride, you know how he is."

"He should be here with you."

"Its not his fault, not really. Mama was suppose to be home, but Gramps got sick again and they kept him in the hospital and Sota was staying with a friend. I told Mama I would call someone, but then I realized, Everyone I know is off in college now."

"You need a nanny if he is going to insist on working"

"Keh, bet you never used a Nanny when Shippo, Kuroki and Rin were little"

Sesshomaru threw his head back and laughed "They weren't helpless three week old infants when I got them, and I didn't know there was the amazing being called a nanny. Had I known...You can bet I would have. Particularly on that damned trip to Hashagu-Mori."

Kagome smiled for the first time since Sesshomaru arrived. "But you had done such a wonderful thing, offering to take all the children, plus Jaken, nearly through the entire country."

"HA! Only one good thing came from that trip."

"She is beautiful and so perfect for you."

"Agreed"

"But there must have been something else that was good that came out of that trip."

"Not even remotely ."

"Oh come on." Kagome was laughing now as they lay the sleeping pups in their bassinets.

"Besides my kioshii, the only good thing about that trip was that it eventually ended."

Kagome laughed

"You don't believe me." Kagome shook her head

"Right, right. You've only heard bits and pieces haven't you...never heard the full horrific thing."

"Nope, enlighten me."

"You asked for it."

Kagome looked at Sesshomaru expectantly while she searched hopefully for a Hershey's with almonds. She knew Sesshomaru hated almonds, but she also knew Sesshomaru knew she loved them, she also knew that when she was upset Sesshomaru would do anything possible to make her smile. Even buy, as he called it, "defiled chocolate"

"I don't know how you and the others traveled with Shippo for so long without choking him to death" Sesshomaru shook his head "That boy was trouble from the moment I said, "Let's move"

Kagome pulled out a Hersheys with almond at last and she smiled. She was well aware of what Shippo was capable of, she was also well aware of what Kuroki was capable of. She could only imagine the hell those two could create together.

She couldn't wait to hear someone make her parenting troubles seem tiny in comparison to theirs and if anyone could do it, it was Shippo and Kuroki.

Don't Forget to REVIEW!!!

Chapter Two Preview

Its back to the Sengoku Jidai

Where Sesshomaru, Rin, Jaken

Shippo and Kuroki begin the journey to

Hashagu-Mori to see

Lord Kashikoi no Kitsune Hashagu-Mori

Translations

Hashagu-Mori- Frolicking Forest

Lord Kashikoi no Kitsune Hashagu-Mori-Wise Lord Fox of Frolicking Forest

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-Okay Fans of The Search...You got what you wanted...Now gimme what you KNOW I want!!

REVIEW!  
REVIEW!  
REVIEW!  
REVIEW!

Lets see if we can't top my numbers that I got for The Search, though this story won't be as long.

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	2. The Ones Left Behind

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-Disclaimer: InuYasha is the property if Rumiko Takahashi who also gave us the extremely fine SESSHOMARU...Oh freaking sighhhhhhhhhh baby!

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Mr MomYokai

Chapter 2

The Ones Left Behind

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_Sengoku Jidai_

_ Western Lands_

Lord Sesshomaru sat on his private deck with his eyes set due east. He wasn't sure why, they had to be long gone by now. His entire body felt heavy with grief and loneliness, it had since they had left Musashi territory five days before.

He wondered at the irony of life, it hadn't been that long ago, a time when he would have been thrilled with the knowledge that InuYasha and his miko had vacated his life for five hundred years. He had gone years without seeing InuYasha, once nearly forty. Sesshomaru had only visited InuYasha's lifeless form on the tree of ages once, when he had decided to make InuYasha's death complete. It hadn't worked, a fact that Sesshomaru would thank the kami the rest of his life for.

A rustling in the hedges down below caught Sesshomaru's curiosity and he stepped to the edge and peered down to see Shippo walking in the moonlight below.

"Shippo? What are you doing? It is very late to be roaming alone."

The kit startled and jumped nearly to the height of the deck. He came down panting and glaring at Sesshomaru.

"Geeze Lord Sesshomaru, give a guy a heart attack why don't you!"

Sesshomaru knew it right away to be one of Kagome's phrases and it made him smile while at the same time, bringing the tugging feeling in his chest. He jumped up on the edge of the deck wall, then jumped to the stone path in the garden.

"Shippo, this castle is well guarded, true, but no security is fail proof as you should know well by now. You should not be out her at this late hour alone."

Shippo looked up at Sesshomaru and the Lord couldn't miss the silvery tear tracks sparkling in the moonlight.

"I know Lord Sesshomaru. I'm sorry. I just...I...uh..."

Shippo took a deep breath.

"Ididntwanttocryinfrontofgirls"

"Would you mind repeating that?"

"I said, Ididntwantto..."

"Slower please."

"Oh fucking hell" Shippo said under his breath

"You said Oh fucking hell?" Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, realizing there would be plenty of time to correct the kitsune on his language in the future.

"NO!" Shippo waved his hands. "I mean I did, but that's not what I said before!"

"And what you said before was?"

"Oh shit" Shippo took a deep breath "...I didn't want the girls to hear me crying and wake up and see me...Okay?!" Shippo's ears were solid red.

Sesshomaru sat on the ground and motioned for Shippo to sit with him.

"Why were you crying Shippo? Will you tell this Sesshomaru?"

"I don't want to say it."

Sesshomaru nodded, Shippo had admitted to crying, he'd let this one go.

"You miss the young miko."

"Yeah, I do, lots and lots. But, I never thought...I mean..."

Shippo was swiping at tears again.

"What did you not think?"

" I knew I would miss Kagome, and it would hurt really bad for a long time. And I knew that I would miss Miroku and Sango too and that it would hurt missing them too. I even knew I would miss InuYasha some...bu—bu—bu...I didn't know missing InuYasha would hurt this much bu...bu..but It hurts really really bad!"

Shippo buried his face in his hands, now sobbing openly and unable to talk. Sesshomaru watched Shippo, feeling helpless , his new compassionate heart breaking even more with the kitsune boys pain. He wanted to help him, to ease his pain somehow, but he didn't even know where to begin. Shippo's sobs were becoming louder and more painful when Sesshomaru heard another small voice join them from the house.

"Shippo? Shippo are you okay?"

Kuroki ran up to where Shippo sat with Sesshomaru and hunched down

"Oh! Your not okay are you? You miss them don't you?"

Shippo could only nod and Kuroki put her tiny arms around him and held onto Shippo as tight as she could. Shippo leaned his head onto her shoulder and let himself go, his crying showing no signs of ending. Another minute passed and they were joined by the small human girl. She took Kuroki's lead and wrapped her arms around Shippo from the other side so he was wrapped in a comforting cocoon spun of empathy. Both girls had experienced great loss, both knew exactly how Shippo felt, both knew exactly what he needed.

Gradually Shippo's sobs tapered off to sniffles, then into silence. When Shippo shoved the girls away with bravado, Sesshomaru knew he was okay again. He escorted the girls back to their room and then led Shippo back to his own room next door, delaying his departure for a moment.

"This Sesshomaru didn't know how to help you tonight."

Shippo gave him a strange look.

"This Sesshomaru was not able to comfort you when you needed me to."

" Kuroki and Rin are really nice and Kuroki doesn't act like a little bitch anymore... "

"This Sesshomaru can kill anything that breathes, human, animal or yokai. Yet cannot bring anything that breathes comfort. Should not I be able to do this?"

"I don't know...but..." Shippo grinned mischievously. "If I ever want anyone to kill me I'll know who to come to!"

Sesshomaru looked at Shippo with shock for a second then smiled and laughed a little.

"You must sleep kitsune, we have a busy morning, and I hope to leave for our journey before the morning is gone. Jaken will have returned by then."

"Lord Sesshomaru? Jaken won't like Kuroki and me being here will he?"

"This you should not worry about, Jaken enjoys complaining, he lives to complain. And those moments when he has something new to complain about...you would not believe how he cherishes those moments."

Shippo was smiling now and he lay back on his futon.

Sesshomaru made to leave then turned back to look at Shippo.

"Shippo, I would like for you to know, you are not alone in missing InuYasha and Kagome, it pains this Sesshomaru greatly as well."

Sesshomaru sighed deeply.

"This Sesshomaru has never felt such sadness"

Sesshomaru turned without another word and left Shippo to his own thoughts. He returned to his quiet lonely thoughts on his private deck, his pain even more intense, feeling even more alone than before because he felt he had failed the boy kitsune terribly.

If he was going to be a parent, he needed to learn how to act like one.

Fast.

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"Kuroki, are you awake?" 

Rin rolled over and looked at the smaller futon closer to the floor where Kuroki was sleeping. Kuroki could have had a room to herself, the private family wing of the castle had six bedrooms, but Kuroki didn't care much for being alone since InuYasha, Miroku, Shippo and Sango had saved her from the yokai hating village almost year before.

"Yes, I've been awake for a long time now. Hours and hours and hours." She had been awake all of about fifteen minutes.

Rin giggled a little and rolled off her higher futon, plopping down by Kuroki's side.

Kuroki giggled "Geeze Rin, your gonna land on me one of these days and squash me to death."

Rin giggled back. "Am not! I always look and make sure your out of the way first, besides, Kattai-sama and Lord Sesshomaru say that I weigh hardly more than Master Myoga." Rin giggled again

Kuroki rolled over onto her side to look at Rin.

"I wonder if Shippo is better today."

"I don't know. I wish we could go see, but Lord Sesshomaru says that we are not to go to each others rooms, that we can meet when it is time for breakfast, and Lord Sesshomaru always comes for us when breakfast is ready."

Kuroki nodded "That's cause he says that even good security might not be good enough in the great hallway."

"Lord Sesshomaru says that about everything here at the castle. He's been really worried since someone put charms around the castle that made everyone forget InuYasha and the others."

"But you remembered."

"Because I am human, the charms were meant for Yokai. Anyway, Lord Sesshomaru promised when we come back after our journey the work will be done and we will have three rooms that join together by doors so we can come and go as we please!"

"Yeah,and right by his so we can go to his private rooms where we eat and use the bath without having to go out into the great hallway."

Rin giggled again and spoke in a deep voice, imitating Sesshomaru "The door to my private sleeping chamber locks with a special key so you would not be able to disturb my privacy even if you wished to."

"I hope Shippo is okay though" Rin said when their giggles winded down.

"Me too." Kuroki looked down at her blankets. "He was more sad than I have ever seen him"

Both girls were unaware that they had gained an unintended eavesdropper in the form of the afore mentioned Lord coming to rouse them for a talk before breakfast. He stood by the door, listening quietly.

"Are you sad too Kuroki?"

"I miss them all lots and lots, particularly Kagome. But, it wasn't like when I lost my Okaa and Outo, that hurt really really bad...even worse than Shippo was crying last night." Kuroki shrugged "But, now doesn't really hurt too much. I'm really sad they went away, but I only knew them for almost a year before they left."

"You could have went with them"

"Yeah, I could have. But, I think I was suppose to stay here with Shippo. He's going to Hashagu-Mori, a land that is nothing but kitsune, and he wants to see Lord Kashikoi no Kitsune Hashagu-Mori, a kitsune leader. Sometimes, I think the kami made it so I met Shippo and the others in that bad yokai hater village."

Sesshomaru took advantage of the lull in conversation and knocked on the door.

"Good morning young female ones." He bowed extravagantly and exaggeratedly at Kuroki and Rin, making them giggle.

"Good morning Lord Sesshomaru" they said in between giggles.

"This Sesshomaru would like a word before departing for the morning repast."

They nodded quietly and Sesshomaru sat on a mat across from them on the floor...and said nothing. Both girls waited quietly and patiently, and patiently, and then started to squirm slightly, then a bit more, they cleared their throats waiting for Sesshomaru to speak until Kuroki, the bolder of the two by far, pulled out another of Kagome's old lines.

"So, Lord Sesshomaru, shoot."

Sesshomaru's eyes bulged out of his head and he jumped up from the floor. "I...I..I beg your pardon?! This Sesshomaru most certainly has no plans nor desire to...to.. shoot you with a human weapon...!!"

Kuroki giggled at the incredulous look on Sesshomaru's face

"Was that one of Kagome-chan's strange sayings?" Rin asked, Kuroki nodded.

"Figures" Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and began walking to the door muttering to himself "Of course it came from the miko, five hundred years in the future and she still manages to find a way to mock this Sesshomaru! But can she figure out a way to get me chocolate for the next five hundred years? NO!"

Rin and Kuroki laughed uproariously as he muttered his way out into the hallway, the planned talk forgotten.

He popped his head back in the door "Hurry and dress so you are read when I return with Shippo, you will want to wear traveling kimono's, I wish to be ready to depart shortly after the morning meal."

Rin and Kuroki looked at one another, their eye's glowing with the first sparks of adventure.

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Kuroki and Rin were barely able to get the story told to Shippo while Lord Sesshomaru went to inform staff that they were ready to be served. Breakfast was a quiet, yet extremely humorous affair, marked by random giggles of children and a certain Lord muttering a spattering of words under his breath including, hell hound, mock, future, she'll pay, miko, chocolate, InuBaka, and assorted grunts and growls. 

Lord Sesshomaru couldn't fool the children. There were secret grins in between words, mixed with a touch of sadness in his eyes. He was missing Kagome and InuYasha too.

A small conversation had just begun when a slight ruckus broke out in the lower great hall. Sesshomaru told them to finish their breakfast and then left the table, he returned a few moments later, followed by Master Jaken.

Jaken stood by the door, his mouth agape as he stared at Shippo and Kuroki.

"Whatever it is Jaken" Sesshomaru began with a secret grin "Shoot"

"Oh My Lord" Jaken ran forward and started bowing before Sesshomaru's feet. "I would never harm you my Lord, I would never use a human weapon!"

The three children cracked up.

"Jaken, have you succeeded in what you were sent to do?"

"Oh, yes My Lord, yes of course. At first they didn't want to accept our visit, they thought I was going to kill them like that half-breed who dared to pretend to be a full yokai when came here begging for a guard job ..."

"But they did?"

"Yes My Lord, easily" Jaken laughed with a tinge of evil

"And how did you do this Jaken? "

"Well, I just..."

Sesshomaru fixed Jaken with a frosty glare.

"Was it you or Kori, Jaken? I want the truth. If you lie I will find out about it."

" It was the girl you sent with me, Kori, she convinced them to accept it!"

"And they accept my request to call upon them?"

"Yes my lord!"

Sesshomaru turned back to the quiet children and smiled when he saw they already had their dishes stacked neatly.

"Jaken, return the tray downstairs and then you may return to your hut. Your services will not be needed on this upcoming journey."

"But ...my Lord, you have left me from the last two." the toad simpered

Sesshomaru turned to the children again.

"Rin, Kuroki, Shippo, would you leave us. You may go to the garden, ask Kattai-sama or Kori-chan to stay with you until I join you, they are both already out there, waiting with Ah-un and our things."

"Yes my Lord" They bowed and left Sesshomaru and Jaken alone.

"Sit Jaken"

Jaken sat on a vacated mat, not daring to look at his master.

"I see you do not meet this Sesshomaru's eyes, dare I hope that you realize the grievous wrongs you have committed these past months?"

"Lord Sesshomaru, I have not seen you in months, you have been off with that disgusting half-breed bastard and his human bitch."

Sesshomaru seethed and was overcome with desire to choke the life from the rude vassal. He had never before realized how truly vile Jaken could be while consumed with jealousy. Or perhaps he had just turned a blind eye to Jaken as he had too damn many other things. Whatever the case, this was one that needed to be dealt with quickly and harshly if there was any hope of salvaging any good inside the small yokai.

"Jaken, be warned and listen well for this is your final warning. Bitter jealousy turned to ugly words is not wise in the presence of this Sesshomaru, particularly when the words are spoken against this Alpha's own Beta and Omega who have just gifted this Sesshomaru with not only two nephews and a niece, but has bestowed upon this Sesshomaru the incredible honor of a namesake."

Jaken sat, mouth open, staring directly at Sesshomaru, his eyes begging Sesshomaru to say 'just kidding' It never happened. Instead, Jaken clenched his teeth and forced out a congratulations. Then Sesshomaru dropped the bomb.

"InuYasha and Kagome have gone, they are now far away, returned to her land, many seas away" Sesshomaru felt a pang of pain go through him "The kitsune children have business that keeps them here, as of a week ago they have come under the protection of this Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, TaiYokai, Inu no Taisho. They are as of now a part of my family, just as Rin is and always has been, as if they are mine by birth."

Jaken looked like he wanted to yell and throw things, at the very least to stomp out of the room in a temper. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow.

"You Jaken, will treat them with the respect due a member of my house, just as you will from now on speak of the Beta and Omega of my house with respect. We will be gone two to four weeks, if you are not agreeable to these terms I will expect your hut to be vacated by the time we have returned. If you are still here I will assume that you agree to this, after that if you do the slightest thing to hurt one of my children, verbally or physically, be warned Jaken..."

Sesshomaru fixed Jaken with a fierce frosty look that was laced with the promise of death.

"...it very well could be the last thing you do."

Sesshomaru stood and left the room. He walked the great hallway until he reached the long flight of marble stairs that came out by the garden and made it to the base and stood in the small foyer just in time to see Jaken stomp from the castle out the back path to his small hut.

Sesshomaru shook his head .

'Even partings undertaken in anger are not easy. There is plenty of pain for all involved, the one who leaves as well as the one who stays.'

Sesshomaru realized that he had been given a tiny insight into what it must have felt like for InuYasha and Kagome to leave him behind. Even though they were going to him in the future, it was a different him, someone five hundred years different from how he was now.

Five Hundred Years.

Kami.

Right now it felt like forever.

'But it is the parting without anger that is the hardest, and the ones left behind who feel the greatest pain a being could suffer.'

A memory floated across Sesshomaru's closed eyes, a warm summer sunset watched with InuYasha and Kagome from beneath Goshinboku, each with a sleeping child in their lap while he and Kagome argued over chocolate and whether it should be defiled with almonds or not.

Kami he had come to love them, the enigma that was InuYasha and Kagome that he had once desperately desired to destroy.

Thank Kami that he had never achieved his desire, Thank Kami.

But, five hundred years was such a long time, so damn long.

Of course, he could always find a miko, force her to battle a bunch of yokai and seal her soul inside a tama with their souls, thus creating a new Shikon no tama, then he could pick it up and wish them all into the future...

He could almost hear Kagome's admonishing voice

"Don't you think that's a bit drastic Lord Fluffmeister?!"

'Yeah, a bit'

He smiled

'Just a bit..'

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After Sesshomaru entered the garden he started out by thanking Kori, Kattai's mate, for doing such a wonderful job on the errand he had sent her and Jaken on. He gave her a hefty bonus and told her sternly that she was to spend it on something nice for herself and not the old and broken down stud she was married to. 

Then Sesshomaru helped Rin, Kuroki and Shippo up onto Ah-un's back and checked the last of the ropes. He figured with them flying on Ah-un and him flying along side, that should cut their travel time considerably.

"You are all settled, the bags are tied down, I guess the only thing left to do now is to actually leave." Sesshomaru smiled at Shippo reassuringly, noticing the nervous look on his face.

"Well, lets do it to it then" Kuroki grinned

"Do what to what?" Sesshomaru looked at her puzzled

"You heard her...it to it." Shippo grinned, michievious fire flaring from his emerald eyes.

"What are we suppose to do to it?" Sesshomaru's eyebrows knitted together in confusion

"Your the adult here!" Kuroki looked at Sesshomaru, her best pretend worried look on her face "You mean you don't know what your doing?"

"Of course this Sesshomaru knows what I am doing."

"Then why are you asking me?" Shippo struggled to hide his grin. He held on tightly while Sesshomaru began to lift them off into the air, leading Ah-uh behind him.

"Because you vaguely said it to it. You were not specific enough."

"Lord Sesshomaru" Rin asked innocently "You do know how to get to Hashagu-Mori right? We won't get lost or anything?"

"OF course THIS SESSHOMARU KNOW"S HOW TO GET THERE! I'll have you know I've been traveling these forests for over three hundred years, thats over three hundred years before you were born Rin..."

While Lord Sesshomaru was venting out his tirade Shippo leaned forward to whisper to Kuroki.

"Psst, you've got that in a safe place don't you?"

"AND ILL FURTHER HAVE YOU WHELPS KNOW THAT ..."

"Are you kidding? I'd never let anything happen to it!"

"AND I"VE FOUGHT IN YOKAI WAR AND FOUGHT GREAT AND TERRIBLE YOKAI! AND I NEVER GOT LOST, NOT ONCE! NOT EVEN WHEN I WAS A WHELP LIKE YOU! AND I ..."

Kuroki unfolded a piece of paper and showed it to Shippo. At the top in Kagome's handwriting it said

"Phrases guaranteed to confuse and or annoy Lord Fluffmeister"

and under that, it was signed

"To Rin, Shippo and Kuroki, love, InuYasha and Kagome"

"AND FURTHER MORE I NEVER, NEVER , NOT EVEN ONCE, EVER..."

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Chapter Three Preview

Untitled

The Journey South Begins!

Let the Chaos Commence!

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	3. The F Word

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-Disclaimer: InuYasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi. The charming little darling, the kitsune Kuroki however is of my own creation and may not be used in other fanfictions not of my creation.

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-Warning: There will be F-bombs falling like snowflakes in a January blizzard late in this chapter. If this word bothers you you may wish to not read this chapter.

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-Mr MomYokai 

-Chapter 3

-The F-word

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The journey was going as well as could be expected, for twenty four hours in. The next day after lunch, Sesshomaru told them that he had a very important visit he had to make, and it was very importing that they behave themselves. He gave them the option of going with him inside, or waiting in the clearing next to hut and playing outside. Being children, they of course chose to play outside. After a reminder to not be loud, Sesshomaru pulled a very large money pouch from one of the bags tied to Ah-un. After he knocked on the door and had gained entry, the curiosity of the kitsune couldn't be held any longer. 

"Rin" Shippo asked, staring at the small hut "What do you suppose that was?"

Kuroki cut in before Rin could answer.

"That was a money pouch, so just what the hell do you think it was Shippo?"

Shippo rolled his eyes. They had become very close since the flood, but sometimes, specially after being bored for a long time, Kuroki could morph right back into little Crap-oki like THAT!

"Don't be a brat Kuroki." Shippo warned , only to get a nice wet raspberry in return. Still, he couldn't help laughing. She was so good at it, and you really did wish you had a towel after one of her showers.

"Jeeze Kuroki, your disgusting" He giggled "I should wipe this off on you, along with a bunch of boogies"

Kuroki giggled, happy to finally be venting out some energy. It felt like they had been riding Ah-un forever.

"Why you wanna waste boogies on me, Ship-po, not hungry right now?"

Rin laughed at the both of them and their antics. Watching them was so much more fun than listening to Jaken grumble under his breath about her all the time.

"What are you laughing at Rin-Rin?" Shippo blew a big raspberry at Rin, not quite as good as Kuroki's, but nothing to laugh at.

"Shippo! You poo!" Rin stuck out her tongue.

Kuroki and Shippo looked at each other and giggled at Rins attempted cussing. Rin giggled with them, then when they were giggled out they sat under the shade of Ah-un's side and watched the hut again.

"Okay, okay, Kuroki, you know so much, why is Lord Sesshomaru here and why is he bringing them money?"

"Like I know." Kuroki rolled her eyes

"See you don't know everything"

"I never said I..."

"Rin knows" Rin spoke up quietly, using the old form of speech that she only used when she was very nervous. Shippo and Kuroki looked over at her, then turned around to sit by Ah-uns back, looking away from the hut.

"Why Lord Sesshomaru came here with money." She turned away from the hut, her eyes cast downward.

Shippo and Kuroki just looked at her, waiting for her to go on.

"The bad lady put charms around the castle so Lord Sesshomaru forgot that he is good, and that he likes hanyou now." Rin wiped at a tear

"Shippo came to the castle to make him remember, so he could help find InuYasha and Kagome, but before Shippo came, my Lord ..um...my Lord...he"

"I killed a hanyou guard, the yokai who live in this hut, it was their son" a strong deep voice stood over them, having arrived so silently they hadn't noticed Lord Sesshomaru's approach. He skirted around Ah-un and knelt down by them.

"I...I.." Shippo stammered "I'm sorry Lord Sesshomaru, don't be mad at Rin and Kuroki, it was my fault..."

Sesshomaru looked at him, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Why are you apologizing to this Sesshomaru?"

"For being nosey."

"Shippo, you forget, you were welcome to come in. Had you come in you would have known everything. I do however wish you would have waited to ask me and not upset Rin. This Sesshomaru did not find out until very recently that Rin had seen what happened that morning from her bedroom window was was terrified by what she saw this Sesshomaru do."

"No my lord!" Rin jumped up and ran to wrap her arms around his chest. "It wasn't you! It wasn't your fault, it was that bad lady!"

Sesshomaru, still not use to the idea of physical affection, patted Rin's back awkwardly

"Thank you Rin" He gave her a small smile. "I came to apologize to his parents, and to attempt to compensate them in some small way"

"kom pin sat ?" Kuroki looked confused "I don't understand"

"I gave them the same amount of money he would have brought home had he worked for me for five years."

"Oh...woahh...that's really nice Lord Sesshomaru." Shippo's eyes were enormous at the idea of how much money that must be.

"It is not nearly enough Shippo." Sesshomaru set Rin down and began to rise but found himself with a tiny kitsune girl tugging on his sleeve. When he knelt back down, Kuroki jumped up and kissed him on the cheek, then jumped down again.

"Your totally awesome Lord Sesshomaru!" Kuroki said and blushed and ran off ahead of them on the path to the road. Sesshomaru stood and smiled. He knew it was another of Kagome's weird phrases, but that particular one had usually been accompanied by chocolate so he knew had to be good.

Really good.

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Even Lord Sesshomaru would have admitted he was feeling a bit smug. After two days of traveling with three children, two of which had a reputation for being rather, to put it bluntly, bratty, things couldn't have possibly been going any better if he had scripted it himself. 

To any seasoned parent, the signs would have been obvious. Lord Sesshomaru however, though he had been traveling with a child for nearly three years, was completely oblivious. It wasn't as if Lord Sesshomaru could be blamed, Rin was an **exceptionally** well behaved child.

Having been under the watchful eye of a full blooded InuYokai Lord who had the ability to turn into a dog three times the size of a football field and an ugly-ass, grumpy, whining vassal who carried a stick that could spew fire and incinerate masses of humans in seconds lent a great deal to tamping down any desire Rin might have had to misbehave.

Shippo however, had spent the last three years under the over-indulgent, candy and Pocky filled hand of one Kagome Higurashi. InuYasha, Kagome's now mate, had tried to insert a bit of healthy fear into the kitsune, but the moment he raised so much as a finger in the in boys direction, Kagome being too soft-hearted for her own good, screamed out her infamous "Osuwari Barrage" leaving InuYasha eating a variance of dirt, grass and sand and Shippo smirking in his face the minute Kagome's back was turned.

It wasn't that Shippo was a bad child. Shippo was simply, a kitsune. Mischief was the simply a large part of the kitsune nature, and for a child like Shippo, being able to control the impulse was nearly impossible, another thing even a human parent could have warned Lord Sesshomaru about. Traveling with one kitsune child would be difficult enough, but Lord Sesshomaru was traveling with two kitsune, Shippo and his female counterpart, Kuroki and...well, that would require patience far exceeding that possible. Particularly in the oft foul tempered full blood Akita InuYokai as were Sesshomaru and his hanyou brother InuYasha.

His healed relationship InuYasha and Kagome had allowed Lord Sesshomaru the very rare privilege of friendship with a famous yokai-slayer who's years of tracking Naraku had given her a knowledge of yokai that far surpassed even his own. So, the question one really must ask is why hadn't Sango warned him about the chaos that would certainly be invited by traveling with two kitsune children?

Why else...Revenge...

_Flashback_

"_Ye labor is progressing Sango, worry not."_

"_But it's taking so long!" Sango winced as another contraction wrenched her womb, taking her body along in a spiral of increasing agony_

"_I know Sango, but try to think about something nice, something pleasant. What will you name the baby?" Ayame cooled Sango's forehead with a cloth._

"_If it's a boy..."Sango panted while she glanced at Miroku "AzouJinsei"_

"_How perfectly fitting" Kaede smiled "In honor of the Houshi's Cherished Life"_

_Sango nodded as another contraction hit, she screamed with this one._

"_I almost have respect for your mate houshi. That looks like it pains her deeply" Sesshomaru whispered to the houshi in the corner, dumb enough to think he wasn't heard._

_Sango mouthed the word "almost?" to Ayame, her eyes narrowing._

"_Try holding her hand through one once, now that's pain." Miroku cringed..._

_...Sango smirked_

"_Keh, bullshit, Miroku are you fucking woman or a man? Ayame tried to grab something else when __Mitsugi was born, THATS pain."_

_The men behind Sango grunted in sympathy, __Ayame blushed and nodded in affirmation._

"_Well, there's a beloved tribute" Sesshomaru smirked _

_Ayame and Sango rolled their eyes._

"_If your woman had tried harder hours ago when I told her to, she'd be done by now."_

_Miroku and Sesshomaru grunted in agreement, nodding their heads just in time for Sango to turn her head with a deathly glare that only a woman in the thirty-third hour of labor can give..._

_...then she screeched like a banshee out of hell..._

"_GET THOSE KUSO-TTARES OUT OF HERE HOUSHI OR I'M GONNA USE ALL OF YOUR MAN PARTS FOR TARGET PRACTICE WITH MY HIRAIKOTSU!"_

_Miroku, Koga and Sesshomaru ran from the hut, clenching their genitalia in fear for it's safety._

_End Flashback_

Though Koga was technically the one had made the grave mistake the other two stooges had made the fatal error in grunting and agreeing with Koga's assessment. Thus, they were now just as guilty as he.

So, upon Lord Sesshomaru's decision to take responsibility for the two kitsune children, and then went on to promise the trip to Hashagu-Mori, Sango felt no particular responsibility to inform Lord Sesshomaru of the chaos involved when two kitsune embark on a long journey together.

As a matter of fact, Sango, who along with her husband and son were staying with Lord Sesshomaru in the future, had spent her first few weeks five hundred years in the future teasing Lord Sesshomaru over the nasty but brilliant payback she had pulled off.

For two days everything went perfectly, the weather was beautiful, the children behaved like little darling angels. So well, that Sesshomaru HAD begun to get quite cocky about his skills as a parent.

Due to Lord Sesshomaru's inexperience, he completely missed the first sign of impending trouble.

Quiet.

Normally, even when he allowed himself to get a good distance away from the children (which he rarely allowed, it was usually a few yards at most) he could hear them laughing and giggling amongst themselves as they made up silly little games to keep themselves entertained.

On the afternoon of the third day, the day after Lord Sesshomaru's visit to the family of the fallen guard, after lunch the children inexplicably decided Rin should ride in the middle instead of Shippo so they could both talk to her at once. When he was far ahead of them, they spoke so softly that he couldn't hear a word they were saying. However, every time Lord Sesshomaru circled close to the children they suddenly went quiet.

Lord Sesshomaru knew that this was a sign of reverence and mentally patted himself on the back for adopting three perfect and wonderful children who knew that their father preferred to travel in relative peace and quiet, that he might be able to hear and be alerted to trouble that much sooner.

By the time they landed that evening about an hour before dusk Sesshomaru was actually beginning to laugh at himself for being silly enough to doubt his parenting skills back at the castle. This was, to use another of Kagome's expressions, a piece of cake.

Then truth laughed uproariously at Lord Sesshomaru and allowed reality a free hand with unbridled glee.

"Lord Sesshomaru" Kuroki smiled innocently "You had a long day...me and Shippo can do the fishing tonight!"

Sesshomaru looked at the little girl with some close to worship, it was true, it had been a long day. He had been tracking a pack of buzzard yokai that seemed intent on the children so his nerves had been stretched with worry, something he was unfamiliar with, and thus found exhausting.

"You will not go in the river" Sesshomaru cautioned "Not even onto the rocks at the edge."

"Yes Lord Sesshomaru!" Shippo said with his cheekiest grin as he grabbed Kuroki's hand and ran towards the river and the awaiting catch of fish.

"Come Rin, let's get the fire started while we wait."

"NO MY LORD!" Rin put out a hand "I mean...like Kuroki said, you look tired, I can do it! You just sit down and relax."

Sesshomaru smiled and the second sign of impending trouble slipped right past him, children over eager to work. Sesshomaru however once again put it down to his children's unerring reverence to his standing as the Western Lord and rested his head back against the trunk of a tree and allowed his eyes to close slightly while he watched Rin gather fire wood from a slit in his eyes.

Wood gathered, she began to collect large rocks to lay in a circle around the fire pit she planned to dig the way InuYasha had shown her and it was upon dropping one of these rocks that the first assault flew, soft and nearly inaudible.

"fuck!"

One of Sesshomaru's eyes popped open. He watched her for a moment, then sure that he had misheard, he closed his eye to a slit once again. A moment later, another rock was dropped and another assault flew, a bit louder this time.

"fuck!"

Sesshomaru however knew he had to be mistaken, in the time that they had been together he had never heard Rin use such language, but he had heard the kitsune, on many occasions. Perhaps it was coming from the river...

Rin had all her rocks and wood now and was building a quite nice fire pit exactly as InuYasha had taught her. Sesshomaru found his mind slipping to the Miko and his brother in the future, but mostly to his nephews and niece and wondered how they were getting along without him.

He remembered then with a sigh of jealousy that they weren't getting along without him, he was with them, it just wasn't him. Just as he dismissed his thoughts as silly Rin dropped a large rock, this time the assault was unmistakable.

"OH FUCK!"

Both of Sesshomaru's eye's popped open, staring at her with so much surprise that he could not work up a bit of anger.

"Rin, why are you using that word?"

Rin pulled her injured finger from her mouth and looked at Lord Sesshomaru proudly.

"Shippo and Kuroki taught it to me, isn't it great!"

"Great?"

"Yes my lord, they thought if I sounded more like them, then we would be more like brother and sisters and that would make you happy."

Rin's smile was beginning to waver, starting to think she might have done something wrong.

"What else did they teach you Rin?"

Rin hesitated

"It's okay Rin, tell this Sesshomaru."

"Damn, hell" Rin counted off on her fingers "Shit, bastard, Shippo said that one was important cause it would remind you of InuYasha"

Sesshomaru's lips twitched at that, the kitsune had been correct on that account, Bastard did remind him of InuYasha. A lot.

"what else?"

"bullshit, dumbshit, asshole...and...well, fuck, fucker and dumb fuck."

"Is that all Rin?"

Rin's voice was small.

"All I can remember."

"You mean they knew more words than those?" Sesshomaru lifted an eyebrow, he had underestimated the kitsune's vocabulary. But then, he should have known. Shippo had been in the company of InuBaka for a number of years.

"It was a long afternoon." she shrugged "And I can only remember so much."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and silently thanked the Kami for small favors.

"Rin, this Sesshomaru has been remiss in speaking to the other children about their language use...I only delayed because they were so upset over the departure of InuYasha and the Miko" 'as was I' he silently added "that language is not proper for children to use and I should have spoken to them right away. I will correct that this evening when they return from fishing."

"Is it proper for adults to use?"

"No Rin, it is not proper for anyone to use."

Rin's face twisted in confusion.

"InuYasha uses it all the time."

"InuYasha is a baka."

"But Shippo said..."

"Shippo has been highly raised by InuYasha."

"Lord Sesshomaru, I have heard you..."

"When?"

Rin giggled "Around InuYasha."

"Do you understand Rin..."

They were interrupted by a loud splash and a scream by the river, followed by a scream from Kuroki.

"LORD SESSHOMARU!!"

Sesshomaru took to his feet and quickly reached the river, followed by Rin. He found only Kuroki pointing at the river and sobbing, surrounded by fish with no sign of Shippo.

"Shippo...in the...water!!"

Without a second thought Sesshomaru dove in the freezing water and began to dive for the small kitsune boy, panic rising in his chest. He had just lost most of his family to time, he was no where near ready to lose part of his new family to death!

He dove and dove, up and down stream...until he surfaced and heard the sound of laughter from the bank. He stopped and saw Shippo and Kuroki holding their sides laughing and rolling on the ground. Rin looking at them in anger.

"What is so funny?!" Rin raged at them "You scared Rin and Lord Sesshomaru!"

Sesshomaru reached the bank, Rin's rage nothing compared to his.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THE MEANING OF THIS!" His commanding voice thundered, silencing their laughter immediately "I THOUGHT YOU HAD FUCKING DROWN YOU BAKA!"

"I...I...I..." was all Shippo could say looking up into the eyes of the yokai lord with the eyes that were now flashing red and white.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK INUYASHA AND THE MIKO WOULD SAY IF THEY KNEW WHAT KIND OF FUCKING FOOLISHNESS YOU WERE PERFORMING FOR THIS SESSHOMARU AND RIN? HE WOULD FUCKING THUMP YOU FOR SURE!"

"It was just a ...a ..joke..." Kuroki said, tears coming to her eyes.

"IT WAS NOT FUCKING FUNNY!" Sesshomaru felt his canines beginning to shift and he knew he had to get control of his rage now. He had only been this angry once before and that was when he battled InuYasha for Tessiaga. This was different, anger coming from fear was something completely new to him.

He took a deep breath. Then another, and another, and another, and another. Ten breathes later he was under control again and he ordered the kitsune to pick up their catch and return to camp to clean it and prepare dinner. He stood looking over the river, trying to get the final calm over his anger when he felt Rin tug on his sleeve.

"Lord Sesshomaru. Rin is confused."

"About what?"

"You said that it is not proper for anyone to use those words but you just used them a lot and very loudly."

Lord Sesshomaru sighed and took Rins hand as he turned to return to camp.

"Rin, to every rule, there is an exception."

"My lord?"

"The kitsune pissed me off."

"Oh" Rin giggled and Lord Sesshomaru could not resist a small smile.

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Two days later, a day and a half outside of Hashagu Mori the children were taking their morning bath when Sesshomaru was once again alerted by a scream from the kitsune. 

"Did you not learn your lesson Shippo?" Sesshomaru thundered, not leaving his place by the fire. It was Rin who approached him dripping wet, her clothing barely pulled on, her face as white as if she had seen a ghost.

" Shippo up to more tricks Rin?" Sesshomaru looked at her quizzically as he got to his feet.

"My lord, you must come and see..." She grabbed his hand and dragged him into the forest to the river.

"What is it Rin?"

"Something...like a lady..."

"A lady?" he questioned "out here?"

Rin looked up at him, her face as white as his flawless sleeves. Her voice was a scared whisper.

"No my lord...not a lady...a ghost."

(Sorry this update was so slow in coming!! )

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_KUSO-TTARES- Assholes_

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Chapter Four Preview

Tentative Title: The Ghost Lady

Who is the Ghost in the River?

And what does she want from Lord Sesshomaru ?

The Next Chapter of Mr. MomYokai

Coming Soon

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Chapter Five Preview

Tentative Title:Hashagu Mori

Sesshomaru and the children reach the Kitsune settlement Hashagu Mori and meet the the Kitsune Lord

What news has he for Shippo...

and what shocks lay in wait for Kuroki?

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Chapter Six Preview

Tentative Title:The Young Lord and Ladies of the Western Lands

Sesshomaru and the Children return home to a new life

and an angry Jaken in the conclusion to Mr MomYokai

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Epilogue

Untiled at this time

When InuYasha returns home to an exhausted Kagome and an angry brother, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha have it out over his responsibilities to Kagome and the pups...setting up a future sequel.

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And Following MrMomYokai

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Tentatively Titled ...

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The Search: American Summer Nights

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It's 1977, Jaws and Star Wars are brand new movie sensations. OZ is one of the hottest Discotheques in the US, and as a favor to Sesshomaru, Shippo still feeling the burn of Rin's elopement with Sesshomaru's oldest Son, travels to Minneapolis to track a dangerous yokai, a serial killer with murders dating back to the Sengoku Jidai, unaware that Kuroki has sneaked aboard the plane bound for Minneapolis International Airport. Between the hot summer Minnesota nights, and the heat of the dance floor an unrequited love takes a new direction as a killer is brought to justice.

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Coming Soon

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After The Conclusion of Mr MomYokai

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	4. The Ghost Lady

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-Disclaimer: Inuyasha is the property of that...that...that...ARGH! Rumiko Takahashi person who I absolutely DESPISE and LOATHE at the moment for having InuYasha ACTUALLY hurt Kagome while in full yokai form in chapter 334! HOW ...HOW...HOW COULD YOU!

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And InuYasha Fangirl Hearts all around the world broke wide open and their eyes filled with painfilled tears, and the uttered those now infamous words...

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"Say it ain't so Rumiko, Say it ain't so!"

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AN: SO TOTALLY SORRY THIS UPDATE TOOK SO LONG!!!

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-Prologue

-From Chapter Three

_-The F-Word_

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_A day and a half outside of Hashagu Mori the children were taking their morning bath when Sesshomaru was once again alerted by a scream from the kitsune._

"_Did you not learn your lesson Shippo?" Sesshomaru thundered, not leaving his place by the fire. It was Rin who approached him dripping wet, her clothing barely pulled on, her face as white as if she had seen a ghost._

" _Shippo up to more tricks Rin?" Sesshomaru looked at her quizzically as he got to his feet._

"_My lord, you must come and see..." She grabbed his hand and dragged him into the forest to the river. _

"_What is it Rin?"_

"_Something...like a lady..."_

"_A lady?" he questioned "out here?"_

_Rin looked up at him, her face as white as his flawless sleeves._

"_No my lord...not a lady...a ghost."_

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-Mr MomYokai

-Chapter Four

-The Ghost Lady

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Eji felt a splash and wet coldness surrounded her as she sank. Something unyielding wrapped around her ankles and held, she never struggled to break free.

"This is it. The time has come and we shall come together and die" she thought, and oddly though she should have been scared, the thought was calming.

"Eji.." the voice called out to her and she opened her eyes to see the other half of her soul coming towards her.

" Ki..." she reached out her hands and grasped her missing soul part. They embraced tightly and the process of combining slowly began. They had been separated for so, so very long. Through the months of Keikoku and Atotori, and the years of Naraku, and the many evils that had come before. And through all of that, there was still one that they would miss, the one that had held almost the entire Ejiki, the InuYokai who was able to love greatly because she had no heart. So love greatly she did.

Eji rested her head on Ki's shoulder and cried softly.

"He is better off without us you know." Ki said sadly, petting Eji's hair

Eji nodded "I know. But at least...we will be one soul again, and we can go into hell knowing that he did care about us...in one form at least. Even if he did hate all the others."

"And it is nice, knowing it was the one time a form held all of us but that tainted heart. Had Naraku known that his threat of holding our heart was what was making us so determined to destroy him..."

"I loved him Ki. And I believe he loved us, even if he didn't know who we really were."

"Me too."

Ki looked down, they were joined at the hips, it wouldn't be long now at all.

"It won't be long now, love you Eji." Ki kissed Eji softly on the lips, then stood with their cheeks fused together.

"Love you too." Eji held on for dear life as the burning heat crept up her back, over her shoulders, neck and face and her arms were once again empty even as her body felt suddenly fully to bursting as Eji and Ki once again become Ejiki, the InuYokai.

The old Priestess in the village had explained it to her. She had been killed too many times now to hope to live once the spell of the Arachnid was broken. She watched as her hands began to wither in front of her, and fade. Ejiki felt tears burning behind her eyes as she watched her claws fade to dust, and then all went white. But not before she gasped out one final word.

Sess...sho...ma..ruuu

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Sesshomaru was in shock. He knew what he was seeing, his eyes were sending the correct message to his head, but, he couldn't possibly ...

SHE...couldn't possibly...it couldn't possibly...

_Kagura...alive...here...how?_

He had to be seeing things. He had been there! He remembered feeling helpless, the totally uselessness that washed over him when Tenseiga refused to save her. Hadn't part of the reason he had wanted to make amends with InuYasha been because he was thankful that Kagura's death had been avenged at last by InuYasha's promise that he was doing in it part for her?

Flashback

_Sesshomaru had lay badly injured on the ground thanks to Byakuya's mirror shard, the blood running out of him like water, the shard had been treated with some kind of poison that stopped the wounds from closing and the only thing he had to use for bandages, his hoari and kosode, had already been more than saturated. He was on the brink of passing out when InuYasha and his group chanced across him on their way back to the village. _

_Kagome, angel that he had since learned her to be, refused to pass him by, but insisted they take him with to the village, when they had left again the next morning Sesshomaru, still too weak to move, grudgingly had given InuYasha the location of where he believed Naraku was hiding in the mountains._

_Sesshomaru didn't look at InuYasha "I had wished to avenge her death."_

_Kagome and InuYasha looked at one another, Kagome's eyes were misty._

"_You mean Kagura don't you?" _

_Sesshomaru gave a barely noticeable nod. _

"_She was so mean at first but in the end she saved Kohaku... all she ever really wanted was to be free." Kagome said sadly, a tear slipping down her cheek._

"_I fucked up" InuYasha said through grit teeth "I didn't find her in time to save her from Naraku."_

"_You could not have saved her" Sesshomaru's voice was stoic as always, but in it was a hint of sadness "even this Sesshomaru could not save one who's heart is held in the hand of one such as Naraku."_

"_Maybe not, but we can avenge her. And since you're hurt and can't do it, then we will just have to do it for you and while were at it, we'll avenge Kikyo, Koga's pack, and everyone else that jerk has hurt." Kagome's voice was strong and fierce "Right InuYasha?"_

_There wasn't the slightest speck of hesitation in InuYasha's voice as he answered _

"_Fucking right we will."_

End Flashback

Sesshomaru smiled slightly, remembering the fierce look of determination in his brothers eyes as they march off that morning before the sun had even risen. Even then he had still held traces of his resentment, but he couldn't help feeling a bit proud of his brother. The day that Sesshomaru had received word that Naraku had been defeated by InuYasha and his pack was the day that the last of his resentment for InuYasha fell away, soon after that he had forgot to remember that he was only a half breed, or a half-brother.

He had avenged Kagura in Sesshomaru's place, therefore, Inuyasha deserved better treatment than that...

But now she seemed to be back, or a woman who was a perfect replica of Kagura.

"Sesshomaru?" Kuroki looked around at them, confused as to why the lady in the rocks at the side of the river had the others looking as if they had seen a ghost. "Lord Sesshomaru?" Kuroki tugged gently on his fingers.

Sesshomaru blinked, the small motion brining him back to his senses.

"Yes Kuroki. What is it?"

"Lord Sesshomaru, Rin and Shippo said that you know that Lady...who is she?"

Sesshomaru looked at Rin and Shippo as they knelt by the woman's head quietly talking.

"I do not know her."

"But they said..."

"The woman resembles a yokai I once knew, that is all."

Kuroki nodded.

"Come Kuroki, we must pull her from the water, then take her where it is warm."

Sesshomaru sent Rin and Shippo for blankets while he stared at the womans face...but he had been wrong...she was yokai, not just a woman. Up close her resemblance to Kagura was even more striking.

The children returned with the blankets and Sesshomaru covered her with them and wrapped them around her backside as he lifted her from the water. Beneath him, Rin and Shippo gasped loudly.

"What is it?" Sesshomaru asked as they hurried back to the fire

"Her back..."Shippo said, his voice stuttering and halting.

Sesshomaru's eyes opened widely and he looked at the children. "Does she bear Naraku's spider?"

"No sir." Shippo shook his head

"Then what is it Shippo?" Sesshomaru asked, slightly impatient.

"A butterfly, a pretty butterfly..." Rin answered "it's all the same colors of Kagura's fan. But it's a butterfly."

Sesshomaru waited while the children rolled out a pile of blankets, then lay the yokai down and covered her. After sending the children off to catch something for their meal, he sat down under a tree next to her. But couldn't relax. He had to know, to see it for himself.

He pulled the inner bunched up blankets off her back to reveal what the children had supposedly seen.

Sesshomaru had been expecting something strange, an obscure butterfly-ish shape, roughly in something close to one of the colors on Kagura's fan. What he found was a perfect fully grown swallow tail, the design on its back matching the design magenta fan design that he remembered so well.

Sesshomaru rolled her onto her back and covered her with another blanket. Then sat back against the tree once again, his eyes never leaving her face but to wander occasionally to the very tips of the butterflies magenta wings where they just peeked out over the tops of her shoulders.

'Kagura had a spider in the middle of her back, in exactly the same spot as this woman has a butterfly. What did Kagura want more than anything in the world? ...freedom. The grass was full of butterflies where she died...butterflies are meant to ...to... fly free..free like the very ...'

Sesshomaru's breath came fast as a voice from the past rang in his ears, strong and clear, like she was standing in front of him...like that last time Sesshomaru had heard her speak so long ago.

'I am the wind...The free wind.'

"Oh...Kami...Kagura..."

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_(NoteEjiki is dreaming this while she with Sesshomaru and is out cold , but it is also a flashback to something that actually happened, that merges into the next scene where she is awake telling Sesshomaru about it. ) _

"How strange" she thought "She didn't remember hearing that there were such beautiful and bright stars in hell.

A sudden wave of water hit Ejiki full in the face and she sat up suddenly, realizing with quite a shock that she was far from being in hell. And...far from being clothed.

"What the hell!" Her voice sounded strange in her ears, she hadn't heard it in a very long time. It was neither of her sides, Eji, or Ki...the closest she had come had been when Kagura had come.

Another cold wave of water splashed Ejiki from behind and she jumped to her feet. "SHIT!"

She couldn't resist a small grin "Okay," she rubbed her hand lovingly down her arm "Now I definitely know your in there Ki."

"Of course she is"

A glowing light appeared behind her and Ejiki spun around, trying to cover herself as two women approached.

"Who WE are isn't near as important as who YOU are dear one."

The younger of the two women seemed familiar, she had a sweet, smiling face, quick brown eyes and her very long black hair was tied back with a bit of cloth. The older wore very old looking armor and though she was pleasant looking as well, she also seemed much more firm and serious.

"I know you, don't I?"

"In a manner."

Ejiki looked away, suddenly very afraid.

"Did we...I..or Ki...did I kill you? Are you here to avenge your death?"

The older woman smiled gently. "No darling. We are here to fulfill a wish."

"A wish? A wish for who?"

"For the Hanyou, InuYasha, who helped released my spirit from the Shikon no Tama."

Ejiki shivered in the cold night air. "Was the wish that I have a wish? If that's the case, I really want a full set of clothes before I freeze to death."

"No, I'm sorry." The younger said "But I think I can help you regardless."

She lifted her arms and at first they were empty, but by the time they were upright, they held womens under clothing and a very pretty womens Kimono with pale pink flower blossoms and very light green leaves over a series of quite delicate pink and green lines and circles, tabi, and sandals and a hair comb.

Ejiki quickly hustled behind a bush and began to dress. She stepped back out a few minutes later, looking radiant.

"Not that I am not thankful for the clothes, because you have no idea, how thankful, but...I have no idea who you are, or what you want. I don't owe you myself as a slave for accepting the clothes do I?"

The two women looked at each other and started laughing.

"Ejiki" the younger spoke, as the older it seemed, was one of few words. "Do we look like slave traders to you?"

Ejiki looked over the young woman, obviously a Miko, judging by the clothes, the older too...though the armor was a bit strange.

"No, I ...I guess not."

"As I said, we are here to grant a wish from one brother, to another."

Kikyo lifted a mirror and the fog inside of it began to clear. The young hanyou that Ejiki remembered having been sent to trick into thinking that she was his Miko appeared, his Miko standing next to him, the miko with the strange armor stood in front of them.

"_Kagome, as you wished, all your life spans have been tied together as one...InuYasha will never have to worry about being alone again. And this means your friends as well, for what is a man without his friends as well as his family?"_

"_Oh... Midoriko" Kagome hugged the Miko "Thank you. Thank you so much."_

_Midoriko and Kagome pulled apart and Midoriko turned to InuYasha. _

"_InuYasha, I owe you a wish still."_

"_I have everything I want." He juggled his son and daughter in his arms and they cooed as if on cue._

"_I sense something InuYasha...something you don't wish to tell even your mate."_

"_InuYasha...It's Sesshomaru isn't it?"_

_InuYasha smiled at Kagome and nodded._

"_My brother" InuYasha looked at Midoriko, his eyes horribly sad "We just stopped hating one another, and now I've gone and left. I mean, I've still got him, but, he's all alone now and he's got the kids too"_

"_I see, you would like him to have a companion, so he won't be alone anymore."_

"_Keh, I want him to have Kagura again."_

"_Kagura?"_

"_Sure, But that's...well, its just impossible."_

"_Why?"_

"_For Sesshomaru to have Kagura back, Ejiki would have to die. And even if I could do it, which I can't. I know Sesshomaru would never want me to wish for a life to end so he could be happy."_

"_Your brother is an honorable Yokai. That shows great strength of character, many more than you can imagine would put their own happiness first."_

_InuYasha shrugged_

"_Sesshomaru is the most Honorable of all the Yokai I know."_

"_InuYasha...even if it isn't Kagura, you could still wish for someone to come into his life that he can be very very happy with."_

_InuYasha smiled, closed his eyes and concentrated very hard then made his wish on the Shikon no Tama_

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"So it is InuYasha that is responsible for you being here?" Sesshomaru looked angry

"Yes." Ejiki looked at the ground, seriously considering getting up and running away. She felt humiliated. In the time since her visit from Kikyo and Midoriko she had memories of Kagura washing over her in bright flashes of nearly constant light. She had begun to imagine possible scenarios for her reunion with Sesshomaru...but she had never imagined he would get angry with her because of something that was out of her control, something InuYasha did because he wanted Sesshomaru to be happy.

Of course, she hadn't exactly imagined slipping on those damn wet river rocks and being found knocked unconscious either.

"We have been delayed long enough" Sesshomaru got to his feet and called to the children "We should have been to Hashagu Mori today but finding you has put the children and I a full day behind. Now we must hurry to regain our time."

Ejiki sat under the tree, her face teary as she watched Sesshomaru situating the childen on Ahun. He was going to leave her behind...he..he didn't want her after all.

"I tell you that we are a full day behind and still you sit. Are you coming with us or do you plan to sit there and wait for this Sesshomaru to pick you up on the return home? As you have no food, shelter or protection I would suggest as clumsy as you are that you come now."

Ejiki stood on her feet and wrinkled her brow, her fists on her hips.

"Just who the hell do you think you are calling clumsy?"

Sesshomaru picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder.

"Put me down you fucking asshole!"

"Ooooo" Shippo sighed in admiration "Kuroki, her mouth is even worse than yours!"

Kuroki stared wide eyed and nodded "Damn...is THAT what I sound like?"

"Sometimes worse" Rin put in her two cents "I think Lord Sesshomaru has met his match."

They quieted when Sesshomaru lifted Kuroki and Rin from Ah uh's back and put them on the ground, and dumped Ejiki behind Shippo.

"All Foul mouthes ride behind me in my pack."

Sesshomaru bent down so the giggling girls could grab onto his shoulders and shuffle onto his back.

"What about CRAP-oki?" Shippo yelled "Her shit eaten mouth is worse than mine is!"

Kuroki stuck out her tongue and gave Shippo the finger. Not having a clue what it meant, Rin repeated the gesture several times, giving Shippo the middle finger at least 25 times in the first five minutes of the journey that day, while Ejiki and Shippo flipped it right back.

Sesshomaru, having absolutely NO clue what everyone was so happy about found the laughter contagious and found himself smiling most of the day while he caught his mind constantly drifting between his heart warming surprise of his brothers wish, and the results of the wish itself, currently riding on Ahun a few yards back.

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So, wanna be the first to know when updates are out...even alerts are down like they usually seem to be? 

Wanna get your questions answered in almost real time?

Wanna be HEARD?

Well, heres your chance.

THIS IS NOT A FORUM! This is an e-mail group.

Delivered straight to your e-mail, you can talk with other readers who enjoy my fanfiction, talk about what you like, diss what you didn't. And ALL In your OWN INBOX! Warning, does not work too well with Hotmail, if you have hotmail, please adjust your settings to accept mail.

Here's the address...as usual, remember to remove the spaces. There is a link on my Bio page also if you have problems with this.

http / groups . yahoo . com / group / cjsffhub /

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Chapter Five Preview

Tentative Title:Hashagu Mori

A DON'T MISS CHAPTER!!!

Sesshomaru and the children reach the Kitsune settlement , Hashagu Mori and meet the the Kitsune Lord!

Find out :

What happened to SHIPPO's Older Brother and Sister???

and

What is this mystery surrounding Kuroki's Parents death??

Chapter Six Preview

Tentative Title:The Young Lord and Ladies of the Western Lands

Sesshomaru , a New Mate To be, and the Children return home to a new life

and an angry Jaken is about to blow a fuse

in the conclusion to Mr MomYokai

Epilogue Untiled at this time

When InuYasha returns home to an exhausted Kagome and an angry brother, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha have it out over his responsibilities to Kagome and the pups...setting up a future sequel to follow American Summer.

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I am thinking of adding another chapter of Mr Momyokai to cover Sesshomaru and Ejiki a bit more, like their their wedding. I am getting pretty tired of the whole "Yokai fuck and they are mated" tradition I'd kinda like to try something a bit different for a change. It might be fun to write a

Grande Taiyokai

Lord of the Western Lands

Wedding scenario...something on the scale of a royal wedding. LOL

So, how bout you guys join my new e-mail group and we can discuss it??? I'd love some of your thoughts on this.

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And Following MrMomYokai

Tentatively Titled ...

The Search: American Summer

It's 1977, Jaws and Star Wars are brand new. OZ is one of the hottest Discotheques in the US, and as a favor to Sesshomaru, Shippo still feeling the burn of Rin's elopement with Sesshomaru's oldest Son, travels to Minneapolis to track a dangerous yokai, a serial killer with murders dating back to the Sengoku Jidai, unaware that Kuroki has sneaked aboard the plane bound for Minneapolis International Airport. Between the hot summer Minnesota nights, and the heat of the dance floor an unrequited love takes a new direction as a killer is brought to justice.

Coming Soon

(Like Maybe in January)


	5. Hashagu Mori

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-Disclaimer: InuYasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi

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-Mr. MomYokai

-Chapter Five:

-Hashagu Mori

It had been a long and trying two weeks of travel and the InuYokai was more than anxious to be heading in the other direction. As fond as he was of the children, he was growing weary of their constant company and was more than ready to hand them over to someone else for an afternoon of uninterrupted peace and quiet. Anyone would do, as long as they were a trusted member of his staff, Kattai, or Mesi, or ...

With a jolt he remembered the situation he had left behind with Jaken and wondered what the stubborn fools choice would be. For too long, Jaken, Kattai and Mesi had been exclusive in Sesshomaru's inner circle, but where Kattai and Mesi had embraced the idea of Sesshomaru opening himself to others, Jaken had reacted bitterly and with jealousy. The initial jealousy over the addition of Rin had been hard enough to live with, but since Sesshomaru had added Kagome, InuYasha, Shippo and Kuroki, Jaken had become intolerable. Leading to the ugliest confrontation the two had ever had...

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"_Sit Jaken"_

_Jaken sat on a vacated mat, not daring to look at his master._

"_I see you do not meet this Sesshomaru's eyes, dare I hope that you realize the grievous wrongs you have committed these past months?"_

"_Lord Sesshomaru, I have not seen you in months, you have been off with that human bitch and that half-breed bastard , the filthy smudge on the house of Inu no Taisho."_

"_Jaken, be warned and listen well for this is your final warning. Bitter__jealousy turned to ugly words is not wise in the presence of this Sesshomaru, particularly when the words are spoken against this Alpha's own Beta and Omega who have just gifted this Sesshomaru with not only two nephews and a niece, but has bestowed upon this Sesshomaru the honor of a namesake. InuYasha and Kagome have gone far away to return to her land, many seas away. The kitsune children have business that keeps them here, as of a week ago they have come under the protection of this Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, TaiYokai, Inu no Taisho. They are as of now a part of my family, just as Rin is and always has been, as if they are mine by birth."_

_Jaken looked like he wanted to yell and throw things, at the very least to stomp out of the room in a temper. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow._

"_You Jaken, will treat them with the respect due a member of my house, just as you will from now on speak of the Beta and Omega of my house with respect. We will be gone two to four weeks, if you are not agreeable to these terms I will expect your hut to be vacated by the time we have returned. If you are still here I will assume that you agree to this, after that if you do the slightest thing to hurt one of my children, verbally or physically, be warned Jaken..."_

_Sesshomaru fixed Jaken with a fierce look that was laced with death._

"_Be warned...it very well could be the last thing you do."_

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Sesshomaru sighed and looked around at the children that he now regarded as his own ...without a second thought. 

Rin, his Ningen Tenshi. She held such gentle sweetness, a true lady, with a single flaw... she had found a fondness for profanity of late, and worked it in where ever possible.

Kuroki, his Kitsune Tenshi loved to encourage Rin in her profanity, she was after all, half of the duo that instructed Rin in the first place. Ejiki, their beautiful new traveling companion, had suggested that perhaps the best course of action was to ignore it, but Sesshomaru couldn't stop his teeth from grinding together with every syllable uttered. At this rate his fangs would be non-existent soon.

But Kuroki had a incredible sweetness and an ability to show compassion that surpassed even Rin's. Sesshomaru remembered watching Kuroki comfort Shippo in the first days after InuYasha and Kagome left and he was still no less in awe of her ability. It went far, far beyond her years.

And Shippo, Sesshomaru saw so much of Kagome and InuYasha reflecting in him. InuYasha's cockiness and bravado, and he could back it up with his Kitsune ha-fu Tessiaga that InuYasha had Totosai forge for Shippo from one of InuYasha's fangs. But the boy held Kagome's spirit of kindness and love as well, and his kitsune spirit mixed so well with her own love of innocent mischief.

They were his children, his little mixed bag of wonderfulness and Ejiki fit so perfectly... She was like Kagura, but she wasn't. It was as if imagining what Kagura might have been like if she had been a full InuYokai, and if she had never been touched by Naraku's taint. Sesshomaru was finding more and more as each day passed that he wanted Ejiki to be a part of his future, with her and the children, they could be a family.

The problem was trying to win a lady with three children underfoot.

Ejiki looked up and saw Sesshomaru's eyes on her and he smiled slightly and looked away, his glance sliding back to Shippo.

He couldn't miss the increasing look of nervousness that spread over Shippo's face the stronger the scent of kitsune grew on the air, signaling that they were closing in at last on their destination, Hashagu Mori, the stronghold of Lord Kashikoi no Kitsune Hashagu-Mori.

Judging by his sense of smell, they were now on the boarder of the forest.

"Sesshomaru?" It was roughly an hour later that Ejiki had come up beside Sesshomaru and lightly touched his sleeve.

"Yes?"

"As it is well after midday, might I suggest that we stop for the midday meal?" Then she mouthed the words "The children need a nap" and nodded in their direction, with a small smile.

Sesshomaru glanced back to see both girls sound asleep and nearly ready to slide out of Ah-un's saddle, Shippo gallantly holding onto them to keep them in but barely awake himself.

Sesshomaru chuckled lightly and nodded, pulling Ah un into a clearing at the side of the road. He took the bedding and spread it out and lay the girls down, then picked up Shippo who had fallen asleep the minute the weight of protecting the girls was lifted from him, and laid him next to them.

By the time he had gathered fire wood and got a fire going, Ejiki had returned with three fat rabbits and had begun to prepare them for cooking.

"You didn't have to hunt Eji, I meant to once the fire was prepared."

"I don't mind, I mean...unless you do..." she blushed, worried that she had gone and offended his manhood or something.

Sesshomaru raised his eyebrow.

"You know, most male InuYokai like to be the sole provider, do everything themselves..."

Sesshomaru nodded "I don't mind sharing chores with a female. You may help when you wish."

"I don't scrub toilets or do windows." Eji resisted a grin

Sesshomaru lifted his eyebrow again with a smirk "That was a nice try Ejiki, however, I found Kagome's list of ways to confuse this Sesshomaru and memorized it days ago."

"Oh..." Eji was wide eyed "Well, that's no fair. You still let the children think they are confusing you...why not me?"

"Ah, because as Kagome use to say, 'all is fair in love, war and chocolate'

"You know Sesshomaru, you speak of this chocolate confection a lot, surely nothing could be so good."

Sesshomaru gasped and stared dramatically "Blasphemer!"

Eji laughed and turned the rabbits. When she looked back her face was very serious. "Sesshomaru, may I ask you a very difficult question?"

"This Sesshomaru, of course, reserves the right to not answer" he smiled.

"It seems to me as if Shippo is expecting to reach Hashagu Mori and be greeted by his brother and sister, and Kuroki, she expects to find some long lost relative there to welcome her with open arms and kisses ..."

"And well they might." Sesshomaru pushed the thought from his mind that if it did happen he would lose the kitsune children.

"And they might not."

Sesshomaru felt himself getting angry"Say what you wish to this Sesshomaru and stop playing games."

Ejiki's face turned pink with indignation "Okay...you want bluntness, blunt you get. Have you done nothing Lord Sesshomaru to prepare these two children for possibility that their family is dead?"

"Do you think these children simple or ignorant?"

"Of course not! They are very bri..."

"You think I am a fool that I do not know the possibilities?"

"Sesshomaru...that's not what I meant..."

"Then you must think me so cold and cruel, that I would let them believe a lie! Is that it? Has life as the arachnids puppet bitch so tainted your eyes that you see all as they would have had you do?"

"HOW DARE YOU!" Ejiki, now enraged, slapped Sesshomaru

"Stop!" Kuroki cried from behind them "Please don't! Don't hurt Sesshomaru! Please!" Kuroki ran to Sesshomaru and jumped into his arms and held onto his neck tightly, fiercely.

"Don't leave Sesshomaru! Please! She didn't mean it I bet! Please don't go away Sesshomaru! Please! Don't go!"

Kuroki sobbed against Sesshomaru's shoulder, her tiny body shaking with fear.

Sesshomaru and Ejiki looked at one another over her head, partially in apology, but mostly in shock at the fierceness of Kuroki's reaction.

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Kuroki had sobbed herself back into a fitful sleep and Sesshomaru lay her back with the others. 

"Sesshomaru, I...Kami..." Eji wiped at the tears on her cheek as Sesshomaru knelt next to her.

"This Se...what I ..said was out of line... the blame, none of it belongs to you." He wiped the tears from her cheeks with his sleeve and then pulled her against him.

"Why did she react like that?"

"I don't know. She's never done anything like that before, not even when InuYasha and Kagome left, and she and Kagome were very close."

Sesshomaru pulled the rabbits from the fire and began to de-bone them.

"Her parent's died?"

"That is what she told us. Do you perhaps remember when Keikoku used the memory blocking charms and separated InuYasha's group?"

"Some. Mostly flashes."

Sesshomaru nodded " She witnessed Koga and Aya lleave Sango on the coast and later helped in her rescue. Miroku, the houshi, was the first to meet her near a horrible human village near the same coast."

"And she was all alone, with nobody looking out for her?"

"Yes, alone. Kuroki has been full of surprises, nearly a walking contradiction. She has a tough shell with a foul mouth, but as you saw, inside is a very sad, scared little girl. She has in fact already died once, were it not for the ability of a sword to restore life once, she would be gone. She and Shippo have formed the most unusual bond, I am interested to speak with Lord Kashikoi to see what he can tell me."

"Sesshomaru, about what I said...I only said it because I am worried, that they might have their hopes set too high. I didn't mean it as a reflection on them or you...or..."

Sesshomaru looked down for a moment and sighed deeply. When he looked up again his eyes were filled with emotion and sadness.

"Ejiki, I haven't felt a need to prepare them for the possibility because they are already more than aware of it. Shippo and Kuroki are not innocent children, they aren't ignorant to the fact that parents, brothers and sisters and other loved ones die."

"You mean..."

"Shippo doesn't remember his mothers murder because he was attacked as well and injured his head and lost his memory. That's why he just now remembered his brother and sister, something flashed back after a yokai attack. His memories were all lost because the only other person, who knew them, was also murdered, but this time Shippo remembers that he watched as his father was murdered. He remembers that his fathers pelt taken and worn as clothing by the bastard who killed him. He was almost killed trying to avenge him."

Ejiki had tears rolling down her cheeks

"Did he ever..."

"InuYasha got it for him. Of course, Shippo got Kagome kidnapped and both of them almost killed in the process."

"Kuroki?"

"The village that Kuroki came from hated all Yokai. She saw Yokai killed daily, just for stepping foot in the village."

"Those poor children...and still they are so happy..."

"They had the incredible good fortune to be found by InuYasha and Kagome.

Kagome healed my brother, after him, the kitsune should have been easy."

Ejiki smiled "So no preparing needed then"

"Perhaps a bit. I don't know what I will do. "

Ejiki looked up, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

Sesshomaru's smile was grim.

"Kagome isn't here should their families be found alive."

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"Holy Shit! Holy Shit! HOLY SHIT!" Kuroki exclaimed for the third time, taking in the opulent surroundings of the garden in Castle Hashagu Mori from her cushion at the small table where they were being served an informal dinner while the adults were being served just inside the huge rice paper screened doors. Blame the absence of direct adult supervision, the children were being, children. 

"Kuroki, watch your mouth" Shippo elbowed her in the ribs

"Yeah Kuroki" Rin stuck her chin in the air, a habit she was beginning to pick up from Shippo "Watch your fuckin mouth"

"Your a good one to talk miss shitty talk!" Kuroki smirked at Rin

"Your both a total disgrace" Shippo said to the girls who had begun to flick pieces of a sweet sticky substance covered vegetables at one another.

"Don't you realize that we are in the Kitsune equivalent of Lord Sesshomaru's Castle? And Kuroki being that this is the home of the Kitsune Lord, I would expect more respect from..."

The rest of the sentence was cut off when the girls turned on him.

Rin blew Shippo a fat raspberry and Kuroki said "Bite me butthead"

seconds before he was blasted from two corners by chunks of vegetables that stuck to his cheeks and slowly slipped until they plopped into his lap.

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Sesshomaru glared across the table at Lord Kashikoi 

"I am Lord of the Western Lands WHY was I not informed of this?"

"Lord Sesshomaru" Lord Kashikoi bowed softly " You must understand, we were ... "

"All this time, you knowingly endangered my brother and his traveling companions. All that time, Naraku was working for someone else?!"

"Naraku had his own reasons for wanting InuYasha and his group dead, not the least of which was the Shikon no Tama. He was simply offered extra incentive."

"And the arachnid?"

"They offered them assistance and the jewel."

"So your saying everyone who has come after my brother since..."

"Yes."

"The Thunder Brothers?"

"Yes."

"The Band of Seven?"

"Yes"

"And you knew the whole time who their real target was?...that these were all hired assassins?"

"I'm afraid so."

"All this time, InuYasha and Kagome thought they were after the jewel, when what they wanted was to kill Shippo! And you allowed that!?"

"I'm not proud of this Lord Sesshomaru, but are you? Did not you yourself go after your own brother? I do not see him in your castle. Did you not try to kill members of his group? The houshi? The one who is now his mate? I hoped if they did not know the truth the one behind all this would eventually believe the rumors we set that the child had died, which he now seems to have."

"What about Kuroki?" Ejiki asked, her face scared

"They believe Kuroki to be dead also. And they must NOT find out she is alive. If they do, they will stop at nothing until she is dead. Their brothers and Sisters, have all been found and assassinated...She and Shippo are the last, if they were to be lost..."

"They will not be lost."

"Lord Sesshomaru, with all due respect, now that another knows their true fate, it is best that they not leave with you, but that they stay here and be put under royal protection."

"Out of the question"

"I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter, as orphans, the children are wards of the Royal Kitsune Government of Hashagu Mori."

"You will not take my children. We will be leaving now. Ejiki, collect the children and we will be on our way."

"I'm afraid that cannot be allowed."

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin burst in "Lord Sesshomaru!"

"Rin!" Ejiki knelt down, wiping tears from Rins cheeks. Sesshomaru stooped down next to her.

"Where are your brother and sister?"

"Lord Se...Se...sho...oooma ma ruuu" Rin Sobbed "A aa big woman came, and she, she, ...she took them away!"

Sesshomaru burst through the rice paper screens to find that Shippo and Kuroki truly were gone. He whirled around to confront Lord Kashikoi, but he too, was gone.

Thirty minutes later found them forced to the boarder of Hashagu Mori and left with warnings not to return.

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Numb, Sesshomaru built a fire and set up camp , then he held Ejiki and Rin offering small comfort while they cried themselves to sleep. 

The once icy western Lord looked up at the silver moon riding high in the blue black sky above Hashagu Mori, his heart ached as he thought about his abducted son and daughter, and remembered how he had promised Kuroki just hours ago that he wouldn't leave her. He knew them well enough to know there was no way they were asleep, knowing them they were likely plotting a mischievous plot to escape. With a pang Sesshomaru realized that he didn't know if they were even in the same room, he blinked his eyes against the stinging sensation prickling behind them, then opened them again to stare at the moon again. Kami but he felt helpless.

Tonight, he couldn't leave Rin and Ejiki alone...But tomorrow...

Tomorrow he would get his children back, even if it required declaring war on Hashagu Mori.

Sesshomaru settled in to wait out the long night, praying the children at least still had each other...and hoped they were able to see the moon too.

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Chapter Six Preview

Tentative Title:The Young Lord and Ladies of the Western Lands

How far does Sesshomaru go to get Shippo and Kuroki back?

Will he declare war on Hashagu Mori?

Sesshomaru , a New Mate To be, and the Children return home to a new life

and an angry Jaken is about to blow a fuse

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Chapter Seven Preview

Yokai Wedding

The Big Day Arrives!

Sesshomaru and Ejiki are getting married!

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Epilogue Untiled at this time

When InuYasha returns home to an exhausted Kagome and an angry brother, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha have it out over his responsibilities to Kagome and the pups...setting up a future sequel to follow American Summer.

And Following MrMomYokai

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Tentatively Titled ...

The Search: American Summer

It's 1977, Jaws and Star Wars are brand new. OZ is one of the hottest Discotheques in the US, and as a favor to Sesshomaru, Shippo still feeling the burn of Rin's elopement with Sesshomaru's oldest Son, travels to Minneapolis to track a dangerous yokai, a killer with murders dating back to the Sengoku Jidai, unaware that Kuroki has sneaked aboard the plane bound for Minneapolis International Airport. Between the hot summer Minnesota nights, and the heat of the dance floor an unrequited love takes a new direction as a killer is brought to justice...but who is REALLY pulling the strings?

And... Shippo and Kuroki come face to face with

the shocking truth when their true destiny and heritage is revealed!

Coming Soon

(Like Maybe in March)

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**Translation Guide**

Hashagu Mori - Frolicking Forest

Inu no Taisho - Dog General

Lord Kashikoi no Kitsune Hashagu-Mori. - Wise Fox Lord of Frolicking Forest

Lord Kashikoi - Wise Lord

Ningin Tenshi - Human Angel

Kitsune Tenshi - Fox Angel

Kitsune ha-fu Tessiaga - Fox Half Tessiaga (Called half because it is half the size of InuYasha's Tessiaga and made with half of InuYasha's fang (The other half was made into a ring for Kagome if memory serves :) )

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	6. The Young Lord and Ladies of the W Lands

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Disclaimer: The InuYasha universe is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi Kagura, InuYasha, Kagome, Sesshomaru, Rin, Shippo and that annoying little green pain in the ass Jaken belong to her, The beautiful Ejiki, adorable Kuroki, all of Hashagu Mori and its residents and Sesshomaru's castle and staff are MINE! Paws off unless you got permission first!

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-Note: I so totally don't believe this. Since I posted this I only got like 19 hits and NO reviews???? 

I am so completely hoping this is a glitch in the alerts system or something, because, if it isn't and it really is lack of interest, I will scrap plans for American Summer Nights and other sequels to allow "The Search" to retain a beautiful place in my memory, rather than allowing it to turn into something that started out great and then tanked... So, if your out there, let me know. --CJ

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Sorry It took me so long to get this update to you...but trust me, it was worth the wait! It is DOUBLE the length of my usual chapter and the story concludes with a much better and more inventive and shocking ending that I had originally planned. So, PLEASE review and let me know if you liked it!

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Not sure when I will start on American Summer Nights right now...but I will let you know when I decide. I am excited about it though, so, there's a hint anyway.

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-Mr. MomYokai 

-Chapter Six

-The Young Lord and Ladies of the Western Lands

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"IF YOU THINK I'M WEARING THAT UGLY PIECE OF SHIT YOUR OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND!" Kuroki screamed at the nurse as she tried once again to get Kuroki into the disgustingly cute kimono. It was pink, with little purple flowers and clouds. She had already lost the war over her hair, but the nurse fought dirty, she had hit with the brush. 

"That will be enough Koi. You must look proper, Lord Kashikoi would not have you at his table with such goings on."

"My name is not Koi, quit calling me that! It's stupid!"

"Why isn't it ready to go?" A pretty kitsune woman had entered, followed by a handsome male kitsune. "We were told we wouldn't have to wait for it."

"Sorry my Lady."

"So, Father has taken in another two."

The young Lord took Kuroki by the chin and lifted her face in his hand. She jerked it away

"He will bring us to ruin."

"I don't know why he does it." Lady Jaiya sneered wrinkling her pretty nose as if she smelled something bad.

"Fathers head is as soft as his heart." he glared at Kuroki "Rather an ugly one don't you think?"

The woman giggled as she nodded in agreement

"I would think Father could at least find attractive older ones that he might find some enjoyment from, instead, he always finds...things like that.

Kuroki had had just about enough and her nostrils were flaring with the anger she was repressing.

"Why isn't it dressing? We haven't all day." The woman asked testily

"The child, is hesitant to cooperate is all."

"There is a simple cure for that you know. Even one as simple as you can pull it off."

"Yes my Lord." The nurse bowed, her eyes glowing with indignation.

"You must take it firmly in hand."

"QUIT CALLING ME IT YOU DUMBASS!" Kuroki was glaring, her tolerance finally at an end."My NAME IS..." Kuroki was silenced by the nurses hand over her mouth.

"Lord Waizu, Lady Jaiya, my..."

"I'll finish here, you go get the other one dressed." Lady Jaiya huffed, dismissing the nurse with a wave of her hand

"Now, lets get something straight." Lord Waizu turned to Kuroki "You'll keep your tongue and do as your told or you will lose it. Do you understand?"

Kuroki said nothing

"Your not the first you know, or even the second or the third. I don't think your even among the first ten."

Kuroki refused to look at him, she crossed her arms defiantly and stared at the Sakura trees outside.

"You see, the orphans my father insists on his ridiculous visits to that orphanage. The moment he steps through the screen he falls into fits and then next thing, another two of those things are bundled and boxed and his vassal brings them here. Then, few days, a few weeks. They suddenly, die. Did you know that?"

Kuroki looked at him from the corner of her eye, inside she had begun to shake badly, praying under her breath for Shippo and Lord Sesshomaru to come and rescue her.

"Its rather mysterious, the village healer hasn't a clue aside from male- nourishment, but you look healthy enough, ugly, but healthy. You might even last a week."

"This is a rude one" Lady Jaiya stood in front of Kuroki holding the Pink Kimono. "Get this on, now."

"Fuck You."

"What did you say you little bitch?" Lady Jaiya rounded on Kuroki "You will not speak like that to us."

Kuroki lifted her hand and gave them the finger.

Lady Jaiya and Lord Waizu, having not been made familiar with the gesture both looked to the ceiling to see what she was pointing at, causing Kuroki to laugh hysterically.

"What are you laughing at?" Lady Jaiya demanded

Kuroki lifted her finger once again, and once again the Lord and Lady looked up, expecting to see something that wasn't there.

"What?, what are you pointing at? Tell me!"

Kuroki moved her hand up and down, fits of giggles pouring out of her mouth.

"Enough."

She didn't see the punch coming, or feel the pain as it connected with her tiny face. She was unconscious before she even started to tumble from her chair.

At the edge of the forest, a young girl began to scream uncontrollably.

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Sesshomaru had felt it since the dawn had begun to break, the danger the children were in. No, the danger HIS children were in. Yet it wasn't Lord who had taken his children that he was feeling this trepidation from. It was something else, something deeper, darker. 

Shippo...Kuroki

Hell, those weren't even their real names. Try Kurokina, and Shouppori.

The only survivors of a blood bath, and if the ones behind it found out they were alive they wouldn't stop until Shippo and Kuroki were dead too.

It didn't matter to Sesshomaru, all that destiny to be fulfilled crap that Kashikoi filled him with the day before. What mattered was that the bastard has kidnapped the children, Sesshomaru's children. And he was going to take them back as soon as Rin and Ejiki woke.

He hated the thought of taking them into battle with him, but he hated the idea of leaving them alone and vulnerable even more.

Sesshomaru reached into his sash and pulled out the Kitsune ha-fu Tessiaga that Shippo had given him for safe keeping the day before. He knew the kit had been practicing, remembering the mantis he had killed the year before , he knew that Shippo could hold his own in battle.

But could he do it on the top of a huge transformed InuYokai during an escape attempt?

"Well Shippo, I guess we are about to find that out for ourselves." Sesshomaru mumbled to himself, just before Rin began to scream.

Sesshomaru shoved the Kitsune ha-fu Tessiaga into his sash and pushed through the brush.

Ejiki sat up with Rin in her lap and her arms around her. Rin had a tight clutch on Ejiki's hands.

"What happened?"

Ejiki looked up and shook her head

"She just woke up screaming, I can't get her to say anything."

Sesshomaru knelt down and lifted Rin's face. Her eyes were wild and haunted, like someone who had just been through a terrible ordeal.

"Rin...Tell me what's wrong."

Rin seemed to be struggling to force some control into her eyes and at last, they connected. Her face was tamed, but now she began to cry.

"Lord Sesshomaru" Rin threw herself into his arms "We have to go, we have to go now okay? Right now."

"Go ?"

"To get Kuroki, and Shippo!"

"Rin..."

Rin pulled back and tugged on his sleeves

"No! We have to go now!"

Sesshomaru looked at her in concern

"Why?"

"Someone hurt her! They hurt her really bad!"  
"Someone hurt Kuroki?" Ejiki Asked

"A man hit her ...and...and...and she fell. And she's crying and alone."

"Alone."

"They took Shippo away from her too, and the kimono her mama made her."

"Rin" Ejiki turned her slightly "How do you know all this?"

"I saw it, before I screamed"

"Rin" Sesshomaru turned her back around gently "It was a dream, you are worried and..."

"But, Lord Sesshomaru...I...I wasn't, I wasn't even asleep."

Sesshomaru looked up at Ejiki in alarm, then let go of Rin.

"Let's go."

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Shippo glared across the table at Lady Jaiya, the two Lords having left to make their morning stroll of the grounds. Shippo supposed she was kind of a pretty kitsune bitch, as InuYasha would have no doubt referred to her, but she was as fake as they came. And personally, he thought Kuroki was much, much prettier...as far as kitsune went at least. In the long run, nobody was prettier Rin, except Kagome. 

Shippo didn't trust her. She was a liar and normally Shippo wouldn't hold this against her, as all kitsune had a bit of shiftiness about them. It was part of their survival instinct. But this wench wasn't lying for survival. This bitch was lying to cover up why Kuroki wasn't at the table where she was suppose to be, and why she wasn't eating breakfast when she was suppose to be.

Shippo made sure that she wasn't looking and then slid more food from his plate into the napkin in his lap. After the day before he was damned if he was going to eat a thing they gave him in this place.

After all his travels with InuYasha and Kagome, he should have known something was wrong with the food, that they had been given something to make them sleepy and limp so they couldn't fight when the nurse came and took them from the sun room. When he woke up it was dark.

The old Lord had come in to bring a dinner tray that Shippo had ignored.

But his true mission was to tell Shippo that Lord Sesshomaru's had already left Hashagu Mori, he would not be coming for them.

Shippo did not believe, would not believe that Lord Sesshomaru had just gone and left them behind.

Sesshomaru promised InuYasha and Kagome that he would take care of them until they were all together again, he promised Shippo and Kuroki that they had a home ... a family with him.

Lord Sesshomaru was a lot of things, he could be dangerous and vicious and cold. He could be evil and ruthless, but he could be warm, and generous, and kind. Lord Sesshomaru could be a lot of different things, he was a walking talking enigma, but a liar he was not.

Finally the Lord had gotten angry by his refusal to believe and left Shippo alone, locking the door behind him. Immediately he sought escape, but gave up right away. He was in a room with only a single window, His bubble form couldn't possibly go through, it was placed so he couldn't possibly jump that high, and there was nothing for him to hang onto so he couldn't transform in mid air... he was stuck.

But if he sat by the door, he could see the moon. So he did just that. Wondering when Lord Sesshomaru would come, and hoping that Kuroki was okay.

Kuroki, he was really worried about her.

"I want to see Kuroki."

"Please." The woman looked at Shippo sharply

Shippo grit his teeth in a fair imitation of InuYasha at his best and allowed the word to be pushed between.

"Please."

"That's better." she smirked. "And, No, you can not."

"Why not? What did you do to her?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." the woman seemed to be enjoying playing with Shippo and watching him get more and more pissed off.

"You better not have hurt her." The same look had come into Shippo's eyes that they had bore the day he killed the mantis, and had the woman been smarter, she just might have backed off then.

The woman shook her head "If your done, I'm suppose to take you back to your cell...room...whatever it is."

"I said, I want to see Kuroki."

"And I said NO." She stood up, walked around the table and grabbed Shippo roughly by the arm. "Lets go. Back upstairs for you."

Shippo walked quietly behind her. He knew soon he would be locked back in that room again and any chance he had to get them out of there was gone. He listened and paid close attention to the other four doors in the hall. There were only six, and only three had locks besides his. If he could hit that bitch with a big enough blast of foxfire, he thought he might be able to find Kuroki and get them out a window.

"Would you quit dawdling brat, I have things to do too."

Shippo came to a dead stop and crossed his arms, waiting and prepared himself. He knew the more he focused and the angrier he got, the hotter and more force his foxfire would have. He hoped to blow that stupid wench back into the ugly tapestry on the wall and have it fall on her to keep her busy for a bit.

But what if what he had been told about Lord Sesshomaru was true?

Sesshomaru did have a cold side, hadn't he once tried to kill InuYasha and Kagome?

No...Shippo furiously shook his head. He wouldn't allow the thought to even have a space in his mind. Not for an instant. It was the stupidest thing he had ever heard.

And the more he thought about it the angrier he became. He had come here for help, for answers about his brother and sister. Not to be torn from the safety of his family. THEY were his family.

Kuroki, Rin, Ejiki, InuYasha, Kagome and the others in the future they were his family and they would all be together again. And they would be one family.

And... Lord Sesshomaru... Sesshomaru was their Alpha male, their leader.

InuYasha and Kagome...Beta and Omega

Sesshomaru, Alpha

He would never leave Shippo and Kuroki behind.

Shippo felt his mind go hazy as his yokai blood bubbled up inside of him and his body began to shift , for the first time, into his natural form.

"I thought I told you..." Lady Jaiya had begun to stomp towards Shippo but now she stopped as he stood bigger, his fangs dripping in saliva, a full fox.

Shippo ran forward and opened his mouth, an incredible wave of blue and black flames came forth, and Lady Jaiya ran into the nearest room to escape.

Shippo, still transformed, ran from door to door pushing them open, breaking through the locked ones. Finally he came to a room with a familiar scent.

Blood, Kuroki's blood, and it mixed with another. Tears.

Softly he padded to the side of the bed where she lay in the hated pink Kimono, her face buried, crying. Shippo nudged his nose under Kuroki's hand and he whimpered. Kuroki opened her eyes and jumped back on the bed in fear.

Shippo jumped on the bed and lowered his head, nuzzling her hand once again. When she didn't jump, he raised his head again and looked into her eyes.

"Shippo?" She whispered "Is that really you?"

He lay his muzzle on her hand again briefly then lifted his head to her beaten face. Her left eye was completely swollen shut, and her cheek was a solid ugly bruise. Dried blood still clung to her split lip.

"Oh, well, you know how your always saying my mouth is going to get me into trouble? Well, you were right, cept it was my middle finger."

Shippo whimpered again like he was in pain and began to lick the blood off her face. When she was clean, she smiled at him.

"Thank you for spitting all over me. Now I'm gonna smell like fox spit."

"Shippo, why don't you transform back?"

He just blinked at her

"You don't know how do you?"

Shippo gave a tiny growl as he looked towards the door.

"foxfire ?"

"We gotta get out of here and find Lord Sesshomaru. You know he's probably been in horrible trouble all night without us there to protect him."

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Ten minutes later Kuroki and Shippo floated over the forest, their escape unhindered, and unnoticed. Shippo suddenly gave a loud growl and a gentle nip and Kuroki lowered them to the ground and popped out of her bubble form. A few moments later they met up with the three most welcome faces they had ever seen 

Kuroki started crying, and leaving Shippo behind ran to Lord Sesshomaru.

"Lord Sesshomaru!"

"Lord Sesshomaru! It's Kuroki look! Rin jumped up and down, excited."

Sesshomaru looked in the direction of the voice and saw the little girl in pink with a badly battered face, she was being trailed by a fox.

"Be careful Kuroki, you were followed." He picked her up and handed her to Ejiki

Sesshomaru pulled Bakusaiga from his sash "Transform at once Kitsune or die."

"Lord Sesshomaru! No! Don't." Kuroki squirmed to be let down and she ran to the fox and hugged him tightly around the neck to protect him while the others watched in confusion. "It's Shippo."

"Shippo? But he..."

"I don't know how it happened, I wasn't there. But he did, and now he can't transform back."

"I see. Kitsune, It appears you spent far too much time with my baka brother and picked up his annoying habit of transforming against your will." Sesshomaru smirked.

Shippo growled

"Do not take that tone with this Sesshomaru, Transformed or not, I am still your alpha."

"STOP THEM, THERE THEY ARE!"

A group of furious voices broke through the brush.

"Lord Kashikoi, we have no further business. Leave at once."

"We have come for the children Lord Sesshomaru."

Shippo growled from behind Sesshomaru's legs and Sesshomaru gave him look that told him to stay back.

"You may have my children, after you have killed This Sesshomaru."

A look of pure evil filled Sesshomaru's eyes

"And this Ejiki." Ejiki stepped up just behind Sesshomaru

Rin poked her head out between them.

"And this Rin too you shit head."

Sesshomaru put his hand on the top of Rin's head and gently pushed her back behind them.

Kuroki was unable to push through, but she yelled out.

"This Kuroki too Dick head."

"That's a powerful threat." The Kitsune Lord spoke with a twitch in the corner of his mouth

"You dare mock this Sesshomaru!?"

"No Lord Sesshomaru, only commenting on what my eyes can now see."

Shippo chose that moment to run forward and sink his fangs into the lords robe, aiming for something else, but was disappointed when he was pulled away by Rin.

"Control your beasts Lord Sesshomaru." Lord Waizu said furiously

"Waizu, take the men and return to the Palace, you may leave Kenzin to assist me."

"Yes father."

"Now what is your trick Kitsune Lord? I find it hard to believe after resorting to kidnapping you would give up so easily." Ejiki glared at him

"May I speak to Kuroki?"

Sesshomaru nodded "If she will allow it."

Sesshomaru bent down and spoke Shippo, then to Kuroki and she nodded and then whispered something back which was responded to with a nod from Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru picked her up and carried her to the Kitsune lord. Kuroki immediately buried her face.

"She has agreed, if this Sesshomaru is present, and holds her for protection."

"Kuroki" The lord spoke gently "May I see your face?"

"What for?"

"Did you get hurt at my palace?"

Kuroki nodded and Sesshomaru stiffened, her hair had been down and covering her face, in the rush of things...he hadn't seen.

"May I see, please?"

Kuroki lifted her face

"Kuroki" Sesshomaru asked softly "Who did this to you?"

Kuroki thought hard, just as she had been since that morning. All she saw was fuzziness, her middle finger and knew that was the reason, and it was her own fault.

"I can't remember, just that it was my fault, for doing the finger."

Sesshomaru froze, he was going back there and he was going to kill someone.

The kitsune lord's hands flew to his eyes and tears poured from between his fingers.

"Oh Kuroki, oh, poor child...I am so sorry. Please forgive me. Please forgive me. I sought to protect you, and I failed you..."

Kuroki patted his hand "We all goof up."

"Lord Sesshomaru, may I speak with you? Alone?"

Sesshomaru nodded mutely and handed Kuroki to Ejiki. He glanced over, pleased to see that Shippo had once again returned to himself.

"Did you know Lord Sesshomaru, I had a little girl once? A little girl and another little boy. One day there was an attack on the palace and when my family was trying to escape my youngest two children and my wife were killed. Since then, I have brought children from the orphanage to live with me. They are often sickly and weak children, but twelve children have died in my palace in as many years. Two, were Shippo's brother and sister. They were the second brought to me, under the guise of orphans, to be protected."

"The last children died three and a half years ago and we were certain we had caught the killer. He was executed. Two more children came to my house and all was lovely, they left when their mother found them. Their were no murders, we were sure."

"And now?"

"Lord Sesshomaru, Please understand, I truly had only the children's best interests at heart. There is so much at stake you understand. I apologize most humbly for my underhanded methods."

"I understand that you took my children from me, and my daughter has come back to me badly beaten."

A nerve jumped in Sesshomaru's jaw, he couldn't remember feeling this angry before.

"That is why Lord Sesshomaru, I now wish for you to take the children with my blessing, and full cooperation."

"Meaning ?"

"There are certain individuals Lord Sesshomaru, that we are keeping a watch on. One of them is the yokai that killed Kuroki's family, and Shippo's mother. All Information we gain I will immediately send to you, and ask that you do the same."

"An exchange of information. This Sesshomaru will agree to this."

"Lord Sesshomaru, it is imperative that these children be alive five hundred years from now, prepared to... well you know, and ready to complete their destiny. If they are not...the entire yokai population ..."

"I know the possible repercussions. You need not remind me. The children will be safe, I assure you. All they meet will know them simply as A Young Lord and Lady of the Western Lands "

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The night had finally arrived, three childred buzzed with nervous energy like busy little bumble bees. It had been like that since reaching the castle the week before, nothing could calm them down, any of them. 

Inside Sesshomaru's newly completed suite, the energy level was even higher. Through one large sitting room the children could reach one anothers bedrooms, and Lord Sesshomaru's and what would after tonight, be Lady Ejiki's room.

The childrens new companion, Hessia, knocked on each door in turn. Bringing with her a cloth covered robe.

Shippo uncovered his robe and gasped. It had been altered obviously to help keep him from tripping, but it was still the same robe that InuYasha had wore the night Sesshomaru had bonded InuYasha and Kagome into the InuTashio Hierarchy. Shippo had decided not to take the blood, to retain his own identity to honor his own family. But Sesshomaru wished him to participate in the ceremony nonetheless, as he was still a part of the family, blood bonded or not.

Kuroki as well would not be talking the blood but for completely different reasons. There was no need as Rin had already, inadvertently, bonded herself to a yokai... Kuroki. By participating in one of her favorite past times, giving comfort, Kuroki had kissed enough of Kuroki's owies bumps and scrapes, to have taken in enough blood to have bonded them in Yokai sisterhood.

Because of the increase of yokai men mating with humans, and the anger of yokai women at the loss of potential mates, the tradition had all but been forgotten. Rin now bore the seal of sisterhood. Two pink flowers, intertwined.

Rin also, now shared Kuroki's lifespan.

And it was through these bonds, they would all be bonded and protected.

It was for this reason that Sesshomaru had also altered Kagome's robe for Kuroki.

Rin wore Sesshomaru's mother's robe, and he nodded over Rin's head at Lady Shankoutetsu and she winked in return.

Finally, Ejiki joined them completing the circle, amazingly beautiful in his Grandmother's robes.

One by one Sesshomaru drank a toast to each of his children.

-His beautiful Rin:

His oldest, his first. The strange little ningen who wouldn't take no for an answer and threw water in his face. She taught him that he was capable of love... giving love and receiving love in return. It was because of her, that he had healed the rift with InuYasha and Kagome, and now had a niece and two nephews waiting for him.

He kissed her forehead and slipped a small gold ring with a tiny pearl in the middle on her right hand.

-Shippo

His Brave,Shippo. His first transformation behind him now, he would be growing faster than ever. He was so like InuYasha, the unbeatable spirit of a hero, the heart of the bravest Yokai. Shippo had taught his about loyalty, and standing by those you love no matter what.

Sesshomaru bowed deeply and presented Shippo with a beautiful Hakema, Haori and Sash, and then Totosai stepped in and handed Sesshomaru a sword.

In the tradition of InuYasha...and the Kitsune Ha-fu Tessiaga

The Kitsune ha-fu Bakusaiga... forged from half of one of Sesshomaru's fangs.

Sesshomaru stepped around Shippo who stood frozen in shock staring at his new fang, then picked up Kuroki.

-Kuroki

Sesshomaru looked at Kuroki and seemed struck dumb, he couldn't find words for what the little girl kit meant to him, what she had done for him.

She had taught him how to give comfort, and how to accept it. Some how it seemed it wasn't right to have Rin and not have Kuroki, or Shippo, and not have Kuroki...she rounded out the three children, sweet and sassy...never boring.

Sesshomaru placed a ring exactly like Rin's on Kuroki's hand, but hers he placed on her middle finger and when she looked up at him questioningly he simply told her that it was just as pretty as the rest of her, and she shouldn't blame it for other people being mean.

Of course she quickly stuck it up and showed it to Lady Shankoutetsu, who HAD heard of the gesture and laughed into her hand discreetly.

Sesshomaru then completely the Marriage rituals with Ejiki, the exchange of blood and wine, and vows, and then bowed to her to present his gift.

Like Kagome's from InuYasha Ejiki's ring was made from the other half of his fang.

To her, he said simply, but perfectly.

"You, came and took our hands, and you completed the circle. You made our family whole."

Even Lady Shankoutetsu had to wipe away a tear as she approached.

She reached in her bag and pulled out an envelope to hand to Sesshomaru.

"Sesshomaru" Sesshomaru kissed her cheek, and she accepted the envelope and a half hug from Ejiki. "I must leave right away, I am sorry I cannot stay longer"

Lady Shankoutetsu laughed at the sight of Jaken running away from Shippo, and Shippo begging him to help him with sword training.

"I'm glad to see Jaken finally came around."

"He's a work in progress." Ejiki grinned

"He's a little green idiot my dear, but, Sesshomaru seems to like him." Lady Shankoutetsu smiled and turned away, Ejiki at her side to walk her out. .

Sesshomaru opened the flap and pulled out a piece of paper, flipped it open and began to read.

_Hey Bastard,_

_So, did you finally find a mate dumb enough_

_to have you e or did you just decide to give_

_Jaken a pink Kimono?_

_Dearest Sesshomaru,_

_Ignore InuYasha_

_you know, I can't sit him anymore,_

_but I can make him change dirty diapers._

_We made the decision to go to my time this morning,_

_and InuYasha will be telling you soon. It breaks my heart_

_to say goodbye to you after all that you have come_

_to mean to us this past year._

_Kaede has promised to get this to Lady Shankoutetsu_

_so she can give it to you on the day you take your mate_

_Just think of it as a final gift from me to you, until we meet again_

_. I love you ! Kagome_

_Hey Bastard, I told Kagome this is_

_gonna be moldy as all hell by the time you find a_

_mate but...owww! Damn woman hits hard!_

_Alpha,_

_Take care of Shippo and Kuroki okay?, and of course Rin_

_I'm glad you found someone,_

_you deserve to be as madly happy_

_as loving Kagome has made me._

_Beta_

Sesshomaru smiled and tipped the envelope.

Into his hand fell two super sized Hershey Bars

...no Almonds.

Sesshomaru was heaven.

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Epilogue

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Dawn was breaking when Sesshomaru finished, he glanced over at Kagome and sighed gratefully. She was sound asleep. He carefully picked her up and laid her on the bed and pulled the blankets up around her neck and tucked her in. He peeked in the three bassinets to be sure the babies were still sound asleep then tiptoed quietly into the kitchen to make coffee. 

The first delicious scents were filling the air when he heard InuYasha's key in the door, then InuYasha's head poked through, followed by his body as he looked around, only mildly surprised to see Sesshomaru there so early.

"What are you doing here so early?"

Sesshomaru filled his travel mug with coffee then pointed to the door

"Walk me to the car."

"Wait till I check the kids."

Sesshomaru wasn't waiting for shit. He grabbed InuYasha by the collar of his jacked and pulled him so they were face to face.

"Walk me to my car NOW. I assure, Kagome's children, are fine."

Sesshomaru let him go and InuYasha walked back outside. Not about to walk down the stairs in front of a pissed off Sesshomaru, he jumped over the side and hit the pavement, followed shortly by Sesshomaru.

"What the hell are you pissed off about now?"

"Where have you been all night?"

"Doing a job with Shippo, Kagome knew that."

"Where should you have been?"

"Did something happen with the kids? Is one of them sick or Kagome?" InuYasha flushed white.

"So now you care?"

"What the hell, What's this twenty questions bullshit about?"

"What were you thinking, leaving Kagome home all alone with three pups to care for ?"

"Her mother..."

"Her mother was called away because her grandfather is in the hospital again."

"She said it was ok..."

"InuYasha, when the hell does Kagome EVER admit can't handle something?"

InuYasha looked upstairs guiltily "Did something happen?"

"I'd say that. Yeah."

"You gonna tell me or let me guess? You know Kagome won't."

"Kagome called me in the middle of a panic attack, she couldn't even talk. I get in the car and race over here and find her trying to diaper and feed three screaming pups at the same time, and crying her eye's out because she thinks her pups hate her."

"Oh shit. She ...she said her mom would be here, and her friend Ayami was home this weekend."

"InuYasha, why are you taking work from Shippo? You don't need the money. I purposely got you set up so you were taken care of so you could be home with Kagome and the pups when she needs you."

"She won't let me do anything when I am there Sesshomaru." InuYasha sat heavily on the ground. "At least this way I feel like I am contributing something to life."

"What do you mean?"

"Everything I try to do, it's wrong. I try to change Kichiro, 'your using too much powder InuYasha, oh forget it, I'll do it' I go to dress Chimi, 'no not that one, this one, oh forget it, I'll do it.' I try to do anything with Maru, same crap. I don't know what to do."

"I got to get to the hospital. Let me talk to Eji and see what she thinks. I'll come by later. Until then, InuYasha, do not leave Kagome all alone with the kids again, no matter what. You do, the effects to you personally will nothing short of horrific."

"Why?"

"Because if you run out on her again and I find her in that kind of panic ever again because of it...I am going to kill you."

"That would do it I suppose."

"Give Kagome and the kids and Kiss for me."

"I ain't kissing my mate for you."

"Not her fault she picked the wrong brother,"

Sesshomaru grinned at InuYasha " Have a nice day little brother."

InuYasha watched Sesshomaru pull away, the same word came to mind that always seem to come to mind as if linked to Sesshomaru by fate.

"Bastard."

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The End

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Coming Soon!

The Search: American Summer

It's 1977

Jaws2 is scaring people out of the water again

and Star Wars is brand new.

OZ is one of the hottest Discotheques in the US,

As a favor to Sesshomaru, Shippo, still feeling the burn of Rin's elopement with Sesshomaru's oldest Son, travels to Minneapolis to track a dangerous yokai, a killer with murders dating back to the Sengoku Jidai.

Kuroki accidentally overheard something she shouldn't have, now she has sneaked aboard Shippo's plane bound for Minneapolis International Airport.

Between the hot summer Minneapolis nights, and the heat of the dance floor an unrequited love takes a new direction as a killer is brought to justice...but who is REALLY pulling the strings?

And... Shippo and Kuroki come face to Face with

the shocking truth about their Destiny and The Secret Sesshomaru has been keeping for 500 years explodes!!

Coming Soon

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